Childminder jailed for 12 years for killing baby boy

A childminder who admitted shaking and killing a nine-month-old baby boy he was supposed to keep after being imprisoned for 12 years and seven months for killing him.

Karen Foster, 62, left Harlow Collinge with irreversible brain injuries after she was dropped at home by her mother Gemma Collinge, a court heard.

Harlow was taken to hospital from an address in Hapton, near Burnley, Lancashire, on March 1, 2022, but died four days later.

After the sentencing, the family said they had lost their son “in the most horrific circumstances”.

Foster was due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court for her murder last week but prosecutors accepted a plea of ​​manslaughter.

The basis of her plea was that “vigorous shaking” caused Harlow’s death after she fell from a high chair and began to cry, the court heard.

Foster, a childcare worker with nine years’ experience, called 999 to say she was not breathing, and told paramedics she had “suddenly collapsed”.

After Harlow was taken away by ambulance, Foster hugged her mother at the hospital and claimed the teenager started to choke and she slapped him on the back.

But he later tried to blame Ms Collinge for the injuries.

Harlow died a few days later in her parents’ arms from massive brain injuries.

Foster, despite claiming ill health benefits, had breached Ofsted rules on the number and age of children in care, in order to get more money from parents, the court heard.

Relatives of Harlow shouted “scumbag” and “I hate you” as Foster was led away from the dock after being sentenced by High Court judge Mr Justice Barry Cotter.

The judge described Harlow as a “happy, healthy, much-loved” boy, but said that Foster, despite being sick and suffering from hip pain, had chosen to look after the child more than he should have under Ofsted rules. contributed to his “emotional loss”.

He said: “I have no doubt that you are dreading March 1, 2022, partly because you cannot meet the demands of caring for four children.

“You lose your temper and he’s behind you.

“You shook (almost) a 10-month-old child so violently that it caused injury.

In a statement, the Harlow family said: “We do not know how to begin to explain how we lost our son in the most horrific of circumstances.

“Our boy’s life has been taken away by a horrible and fake person, who we trusted and promised to take care of him.

“There are no words to describe how devastating it is to our lives.”

Harlow’s mother, Allen Frangleton’s father, older siblings and extended family, sat in the public gallery, weeping as Foster’s case was heard and victim impact statements were read.

Ms Collinge said out of “guilt” she felt, she had made arrangements to move Harlow to nursery six weeks after first using Foster as a childminder, because of her own concerns about the number of children she looked after.

“All the red flags I missed,” she continued before recalling Foster trying to comfort her at the hospital, claiming Harlow had choked on pasta.

She added: “She even hugged me. I can’t think of anything worse. It’s disgusting. I blame myself every day for my son’s death. This monster, Karen Foster, doesn’t deserve her.”

Det Supt Allen Davies, of Lancashire Police, said: “The evidence proves beyond all doubt that Foster was solely responsible for Harlow’s unlawful killing, meaning Foster finally admitted his guilt last week.

“My thoughts are with the Harlow family who acted with dignity in the face of such unimaginable and unexpected loss.”