Family of baby murdered in hospital by his own father speak out | UK | News

The family of an early -born baby, who was tragically killed by his father in a special care unit, expressed his concerns that countless problems were not answered.

27 -year -old Daniel Gunter gave “disasters injuries” to his head, neck, legs and chin at Little Brendon Staddon. The baby was discovered at the cot in Yeovil Regional Hospital in Somperset on March 5 last year.

Gunter, who rejected the murder, was found guilty after a three -week hearing in Bristol Crown Court. 21 -year -old Sophie Staddon, Brendon’s mother and former partner of Gunter, was acquitted of causing or allowing a child who was not guilty of murder before.

One jury member cried while explaining the decisions of the jury and erasing tears and relieved by the other two jury. The hearing revealed that social workers plan to remove Brendon from the couple after their birth due to housing problems and Gunter’s “control” on Mrs. Staddon.

Following the decisions, Brendon’s grandfather Simon Gunter described his grandson as “beautiful”. He said: “It was only perfect. Although he came early, he was a small fighter and proved his power in his short life.

“But we’ve been robbed from a life of Brendon memories. We can’t see the first steps, he won’t hear his first words, he can’t take him to his first holiday, and we will not see that he’s turned into a young child. We will never have these memories. They’re taken from us and never changed.

“I hope Daniel gets what he deserves to Brendon, but no matter what the result will never bring him back. Today, some justice has been served, but we still have many unanswered questions.”

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that an investigation into Brendon’s death was continuing.

“This was an incredibly sad criminal case against the murder of a vulnerable two -week baby while looking at Yeovil Regional Hospital.

“Our thoughts are with the wider family. We are part of the child who preserves the application examination together with other agencies that will examine the conditions about Baby Brendon’s death.

The court heard that the nurses desperately tried to protect the baby’s life as Gunter went out of the hospital for a cigarette after the occurrence of deadly wounds that abandoned Brendon’s head.

Mrs. Staddon revealed the injuries of Brendon when the medical personnel asked the nurses that her son felt cold and they asked them to check her.

The prosecutor’s office, Charles Row Kc, informed that the jury Brendon was experiencing “disaster injuries”.

He said: “He was crushed to break his skull in a flat tongue. He was badly injured by deep scratches on his neck. Then he found a broken neck, broken jaw, broken legs, broken ankles and broken wrists.”

The couple was arrested by Avon and Somerset police while smoking outside, and they did not witness them during the hearing.

Gunter informed the officers: “I did not do anything to Brendon at any stage that could cause any injury. I spent all time with Sophie, and he did nothing.”

In a separate statement, Gunter said: “I will never hurt my baby.”

Mrs. Staddon said to the police: “I didn’t do anything to harm Brendon. I love him. He was my everything. I wouldn’t hurt him.”

Mr. Row announced that he was worried about social services and “lack of emotional temperature” shown towards the children of Gunter’s relatives before he died.

When Brendon was born on February 20, 2024, attempts to persuade Mrs. Stadddon to stay in the hospital, but returned to the temporary accommodation she shared with Gunter.

While in the hospital, Gunter has repeatedly ignored the guidance of the nurses, he took Brendon out of the incubator without permission, he shaped young people to remove the nasal gastric tube.

Family members witnessed Gunter shouting and angry at Brendon while visiting the hospital, and roughly led.

Gunter’s aunt Louise Besica said, “I felt that she wasn’t patience. It was really hard for you to put her in her baby.”

The couple had an unstable relationship, the Gunter partner was described as “violence”, checked his financial situation, and who he could talk to.

A social worker, visited the pair in January 2024 and said that the authorities plan to remove the baby when they were born.

“Authorities, insecure housing status, Mr. Gunter’s Female Staddon and Finance, Mrs. Staddon’un physical and mental health and lack of participation, as they were worried about many things.” He said.

Following the decisions, the detective chief inspector Nadine Partridge, who pioneered the investigation, said, “Brendon’s injuries were disaster and there was no rotten or broken part of his body.

“To see that he is doing such vicious things to a poor, innocent child who is in front of someone’s life. Brendon failed in life. In death, justice is the only protection we can offer him.”

Gunter, which has no fixed address, will be sentenced to a subsequent date.