Eivind Ertesvag 
The mother of an 18-month-old baby, along with her former boyfriend, who is not the child’s father, have been convicted of murdering the young boy. The lead investigator described the case as harrowing, even for experienced police officers.
Sian Hedges and Jack Benham were convicted on Thursday for the murder of Alfie Phillips, following a nine-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent, as announced in a press release by Kent Police.
The trial has sparked outrage in England. The defenseless little boy died with over 70 injuries, including traces of cocaine and alcohol in his blood. Sentencing is set for December.
The mother and her then-boyfriend claimed they shared a bed with him at night and found the boy lifeless when they woke up around 11:30 a.m. Emergency services were called, and Alfie was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
Doctors noted multiple bruises and injuries on the child’s body, leading to the immediate arrest of the mother and her partner.
During the trial, the prosecution detailed the horrific injuries inflicted on the little boy. Alfie had 70 separate injuries, including internal bleeding, bruises, and fractures to his chest, ribs, feet, arms, and left leg. He also had facial injuries and bite marks. There were also several injuries indicating Alfie had been strangled.
Family members of Alfie’s mother saw the boy on the evening before he died, appearing as a healthy child without visible injuries.
Sian Hedges (27) and Jack Benham (35) were unanimously found guilty of murdering 18-month-old Alfie Phillips by a jury. The young boy was tortured to death and strangled by the couple, who were under the influence of whiskey and cocaine.
Kath Way, the lead investigator, stated in the press release that although today’s verdict will not bring Alfie back, it means Hedges and Benham lose their freedom and the life they have known so far.
“Alfie should have been protected and loved by his mother, instead Hedges and Benham inflicted unimaginable suffering on him during a prolonged and violent night. They refused to admit what they had done and put the rest of Alfie’s family, who loved him dearly, through the ordeal of a trial, where details of their horrific abuse were heard by all,” said investigator Kath Way in the police press release.
Way mentioned that Alfie should now be a four-year-old boy, just starting school. “Instead, his life was cruelly taken away by those he should have been able to trust the most,” Way added.
The investigator noted that the case has been distressing for all involved, including the experienced detectives on the team.
