Warning: This article includes discussions on child abuse which may be upsetting for some readers.
A premature baby was subjected to severe brain trauma over a 10-day period, leaving her ‘non-verbal’, after suffering abuse at the hands of two ‘monsters’.
Both Tom Kember and Katherine Reilly were unanimously found guilty of child cruelty. Kember was additionally convicted of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, though both denied the charges.
A court in Britain was told of the disturbing Google searches made by 27-year-old Kember, suggesting the abuse inflicted on the young child.
On January 12, 2020, Kember queried on the search engine, ‘what happend aif u (sic) hit a baby’s face’, hinting at his assault on the child, and also searched ‘can a baby be sick if it gets hit’.
The following evening, at 10.45pm, while dining at a fast-food outlet with 25-year-old Reilly and the infant, Kember searched for ‘if baby hits its head does the baby sleep a lot’.
In the early hours, around 1.20am, he contacted 111—a UK non-emergency medical helpline—to report the baby’s condition.
By the morning of January 14, 2020, after the baby had been readmitted to the hospital from where she was discharged just 10 days earlier, he searched ‘can I get dosent for abiseing (sic)… baby’.
Prosecutors suggested that Kember, along with Reilly, who is from Taunton, Somerset, intended to find out ‘can I get done for abusing… baby’.
The medical evidence presented to the jury found the baby’s injuries were consistent with those from high-speed car crashes or falls from a one-storey building, eliminating a domestic accident as the cause.
Judge Julian Lambert condemned their actions as a ‘monstrous act’ following the jury’s decision.
Det Ch Insp Roger Doxsey, of Avon and Somerset Police, remarked: “It is tragic to reflect that having been born at 31 weeks she was readmitted to hospital with these terrible injuries before her due date.
“A helpless baby has been abused by adults who were more concerned with avoiding the consequences of their actions than with seeking medical help for her.
“I would like to pay tribute to the medical staff who helped to ensure this little girl’s remarkable survival, and the family who are now providing her with such love and care.”
The child has since been adopted by foster parents who have cared for her since she was four months old.
Now four years old, the court was informed that she is non-verbal, has significant visual impairment, experiences multiple daily seizures, and has other complex needs.
Reilly has been granted bail ahead of her sentencing, scheduled for January 24, while Kember remains in custody.
If any of these issues have affected you, or if you wish to speak with someone confidentially about child welfare, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)) is available 24/7 and accepts calls from across the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico.