Laura Castle, a foster mother, has been found guilty of murdering her one-year-old baby after she ‘lost it’ over his crying.
Gatekeepers News reports that Castle has been found guilty of murdering 13-month-old Leiland-James Corkill less than five months after he had been placed into her care by council officials.
The former care worker from Barrow, Cumbria, was trying to formally adopt the youngster at the time of his death in January 2021.
The council workers, however, became concerned enough to consider removing him from her care after the 38-year-old stated she was struggling to bond with the child.
The baby died after suffering brain injuries at the home of Castle and her partner Scott Castle.
Police later found texts on her phone in which she had described the youngster as a ‘k**bhead’ and a ‘whinge bag’.
Although she initially denied any involvement in the youngster’s death, she later admitted to shaking him because she ‘wanted him to stop crying’.
Despite accepting responsibility for the youngster’s death, Castle denied murdering him.
However, jurors at Preston Crown Court took just two-and-half hours on Tuesday to convict her of the baby’s murder. She was also convicted of child cruelty against Leiland-James.
Meanwhile, her partner Scott, a 35-year-old former machinist at defence firm BAE Systems, was found not guilty of allowing Leiland-James’ death. He was also cleared of child cruelty.
Castle, who initially claimed the baby, accidentally fell off the sofa at her home despite the youngster having suffered catastrophic head injuries.
Hospital medics raised concerns after observing the extent of his injuries did not match her account.
She maintained that the death was a tragic accident while her husband, who works nights, was asleep. The narrative changed last month after she admitted his manslaughter on the eve of her trial at Preston Crown Court.
Castle said she lied because she was ‘ashamed’ and ‘terrified of the consequences of her actions.
