Alfie Steele was found dead in her home in Droitwich, Worcestershire in February 2021.
Dirk Howell, 41, was convicted of murdering a boy, and his mother, Carla Scott, was convicted of manslaughter.
The jury has acquitted you of the murder of Alfie. The judge told them they never had to be jurors again.
...After weeks of hearing horrifying details about the last months of his 9-year-old life, they debated the matter for 10 hours.
Alfie was subjected to a brutal disciplinary system, sustaining over 50 injuries upon death.
The jury heard that his punishment included beatings, being forced to stand in the open, and having his head dipped in a water bath.
The family was known to social workers, especially because Howell had issued an order prohibiting him from staying indoors, which he routinely ignored.
Neighbors who heard screams and shouts from both sides and outside the house also repeatedly called the police.
A security investigation is currently underway to determine what else could have been done to save Alfie. At 14:30 GMT on February 18, 4,444 paramedics arrived at the Vachon Drive home, but the paramedics were unable to resuscitate him.
The exact cause of death could not be determined, but evidence strongly suggests that he died after being immersed in ice water.
Scott, 35, claimed that Alfie fell asleep while taking a hot bath. However, his injury and his low body temperature of 23°C (73°F) suggested otherwise.
The trial involved Scott's affair with Howell in 2019, and his disciplinary regime quickly escalated in 2020 as the country went into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Before Alfie's eventual death as a result of his brutal regime, a jury heard a startling 999 phone call from neighbors trying to raise the alarm.
Some heard Mr. Howell scream as he was forced into a cold bath, and while Mr. Howell was verbally abusive in the garden at night, he said " Some said they saw them standing "like statues." Scott has pleaded not guilty to four counts of child abuse. In addition to her manslaughter, the jury also found her guilty of child abuse.
Alfie's mother cried when she was taken to her cell, but Ms. Howell, who lives in Princip Drive, Aston, Birmingham, showed no visible emotion in her.
Outside the courtroom, Prosecutor Inspector Leighton Harding said Alfie had "suffered the most horrific physical and emotional abuse", adding, "The terror and heartache he felt during the debilitating events". It must have been unimaginable," he said.
"Alfie should have expected unconditional love and protection from Scott, but she deliberately ignored his needs and knew the cruel treatment he was inflicting on Alfie. I chose to prioritize my needs and my relationship with Howell," he added.
Detective Inspector Harding said the case was not referred to the Independent Police Action Service (IOPC) because it "did not meet the criteria" despite police contact with the family. "Obviously we want to learn from this incident," he said. "This is a sad incident," he said, adding that the unit would be subject to future classified clearances.
Independent chairman of the Worcestershire Child Protection Partnership Stephen Eccleston said the team was "shocked and saddened by Alfie's death".
"On behalf of the partnership, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my condolences to Alfie's family."
He said the review will be published later this year.
Judge Mark Wohl said Howell and Scott will be sentenced on Thursday.
source(BBC)
Dirk Howell, 41, was convicted of murdering a boy, and his mother, Carla Scott, was convicted of manslaughter.
The jury has acquitted you of the murder of Alfie. The judge told them they never had to be jurors again.
...After weeks of hearing horrifying details about the last months of his 9-year-old life, they debated the matter for 10 hours.
Alfie was subjected to a brutal disciplinary system, sustaining over 50 injuries upon death.
The jury heard that his punishment included beatings, being forced to stand in the open, and having his head dipped in a water bath.
The family was known to social workers, especially because Howell had issued an order prohibiting him from staying indoors, which he routinely ignored.
Neighbors who heard screams and shouts from both sides and outside the house also repeatedly called the police.
A security investigation is currently underway to determine what else could have been done to save Alfie. At 14:30 GMT on February 18, 4,444 paramedics arrived at the Vachon Drive home, but the paramedics were unable to resuscitate him.
The exact cause of death could not be determined, but evidence strongly suggests that he died after being immersed in ice water.
Scott, 35, claimed that Alfie fell asleep while taking a hot bath. However, his injury and his low body temperature of 23°C (73°F) suggested otherwise.
The trial involved Scott's affair with Howell in 2019, and his disciplinary regime quickly escalated in 2020 as the country went into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Before Alfie's eventual death as a result of his brutal regime, a jury heard a startling 999 phone call from neighbors trying to raise the alarm.
Some heard Mr. Howell scream as he was forced into a cold bath, and while Mr. Howell was verbally abusive in the garden at night, he said " Some said they saw them standing "like statues." Scott has pleaded not guilty to four counts of child abuse. In addition to her manslaughter, the jury also found her guilty of child abuse.
Alfie's mother cried when she was taken to her cell, but Ms. Howell, who lives in Princip Drive, Aston, Birmingham, showed no visible emotion in her.
Outside the courtroom, Prosecutor Inspector Leighton Harding said Alfie had "suffered the most horrific physical and emotional abuse", adding, "The terror and heartache he felt during the debilitating events". It must have been unimaginable," he said.
"Alfie should have expected unconditional love and protection from Scott, but she deliberately ignored his needs and knew the cruel treatment he was inflicting on Alfie. I chose to prioritize my needs and my relationship with Howell," he added.
Detective Inspector Harding said the case was not referred to the Independent Police Action Service (IOPC) because it "did not meet the criteria" despite police contact with the family. "Obviously we want to learn from this incident," he said. "This is a sad incident," he said, adding that the unit would be subject to future classified clearances.
Independent chairman of the Worcestershire Child Protection Partnership Stephen Eccleston said the team was "shocked and saddened by Alfie's death".
"On behalf of the partnership, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my condolences to Alfie's family."
He said the review will be published later this year.
Judge Mark Wohl said Howell and Scott will be sentenced on Thursday.
source(BBC)
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