Cage bed couple jailed for 10 years ***warning: this thread contains reports about child abuse that some may find very upsetting***

[QuietContraryMary]

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-46233682

A woman and her ex-partner who strapped a toddler face down in a "monstrous cage bed" have each been given 10 years behind bars.

Ellie-May Minshull-Coyle was 19 months old when she died after being restrained in Preston in March 2017.

Her mother Lauren Coyle, 19, and stepfather Reece Hitchcott, 20, were both convicted of causing or allowing her death.

At Liverpool Crown Court, the pair were sentenced to 10 years in youth custody.

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/couple-who-left-tied-up-15363947

A young mum who left her baby girl to die sent text messages to her partner saying that her daughter was 'banging her head against the wall,' a court heard.

Ellie-May Minshull-Coyle , aged 19 months, was tied to the mattress of her bed with tight ligatures across her chest and legs and a duvet placed over her, a jury at Liverpool Crown Court was told yesterday.

Her bedroom had been transformed into a 'monstrous cage' and the window had been blocked with a mattress and there were no lights, the court heard.

Ellie-May's mum Lauren Coyle, 19 and her boyfriend Reece Hitchcott, 20, were cleared of manslaughter by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court.

But after almost seven-and-a-half hours of deliberations, the jury found the pair guilty of causing or allowing her death, one count of child cruelty by "caging" the child in her bed, and another count of child cruelty by restraining her in the bed.

A post-mortem examination carried out by Dr Alison Armour, a Home Office consultant forensic pathologist, concluded the child's death was caused by "forcible restraint by ligatures in a face-down position complicated by hyperthermia".

Coyle replied: "Can't be arsed with it anymore you ower money now pay it "

Coyle soon began to complain to her boyfriend that Ellie-May was keeping her awake at night.

Her text read: "Ellie keeps waking up have to take in living room dont want to go to bed yet."

Coyle often messaged her boyfriend while he was at work, the court heard.

On one occasion Hitchcott sent her a message which read: "I love you baby this one of the ways it will teach her slowly that she needs to sleep on her own."

On February 7 2017 Coyle posted a message on her Facebook page which read: "Finally got my little princess in a routine in her big bed. She is growing up far too fast."

Coyle sent a message to Hitchcott which read: "Stressed with Ellie. She was biting me so I put her in her room. She is banging her head off the walls. I have smacked her loads too.

Hitchcott replied: "I will sort her out when I come home. I will put her in her room."

On another occasion Coyle sent a text to her boyfriend which read: "There she goes ahead banging her f*ing head again."

On March 20 Coyle sent a message to Hitchcott which read: "Ellie playing up again shoved her in her room."

Hitchcott replied: "She will behave when I am home ha ha."

Mr Tehrani also told the court that Ellie-May's medical condition deteriorated in the months leading up to her death.

The toddler suffered from vomiting and diarrhea, and a doctor said that she was suffering from gastroenteritis.

[ListenLinda]

My DD is 19 months old. I feel sick at the thought. Disgusting people

[Burlea]

Hopefully they will get their comeuppance in prison. Child abusers are not tolerated. B***ds

[stressedtiredbuthappy]

So they'll be out before they're 30, most likely reproducing again. They deserve to be sterilised .

[bookworm14]

I wish I hadn’t heard about this story. I feel sick.

[sakura06]

Horrific. That poor little girl.

[danni0509]

10 years each is that?

the bit were she said she's smacked her loads today, that's really sad, once is bad enough but loads!! how many is loads poor baby.

And the phoney Facebook post about her little princess being in her own bed yes because your tieing the poor girl down. this is why you don't believe everything you read on Facebook, portraying the perfect life when you don't know what is happening behind closed doors!

[SuperstarDJ]

So they’ll be out in 5? It’s a pathetically lenient sentance.

[ISeeTheLight]

God that's awful, wish I hadn't read it. That poor little girl. Those texts are awful - "smacked her loads" "she'll be quiet when I'm done with her".
Horrible. At least their photos are out so hopeful they'll get what they deserve in prison.

[PrettyLovely]

Its awful how children are treated in this country as second class citizens when it comes to jail terms for abuse/murder 10 years is disgusting. They will be out soonsr than that.
That poor little girl

[Missscarlett87]

This makes me sick to the pit of my stomach... that poor little girl. Think 10 years (out in five ) is a pathetic sentence

[Patienceisvirtuous]

Those texts made my blood run cold. That poor little girl. I wish people like this could be legally killed.

[mangomama91]

I couldn't even read it all, Made me far too feel physically sick. That poor baby.

[DonaldDucksTowel]

10 fucking years!?!

[TheLazyDuchess]

I read this on bbc news, that poor little girl. I wonder if she knew he'd gone too far, and that's why she contacted her dad. There's a good chance they'll be murdered in prison, but it won't undo what they did. Ds isn't here atm, wish I could give him a hug right now.

[OlennasWimple]

Oh, that poor little girl

[SoleBizzz]

Her life means nothing. I feel sick

[zeddybrek]

I feel sick, the poor baby.

[Flashingbeacon]

I don’t understand. How do you get to that place? For gods sake leave her at a police station/hospital anywhere if you can’t be arsed. How is tying her down a better option than leaving her somewhere! Like honestly leave her on a doorstep, hand her over to social services if it’s such a problem.
Literally cannot be enough interference from social workers if it avoids this happening. How many other babies are tied to beds right now?

[PotteryGirl]

The likelihood is that this sort of lowlife will breed and breed and breed and each time the child will be removed. I think there has to be a case for the sterilisation of this sort of person. Social Services has more than enough to deal with. Vile.

[avamiah]

Flashingbeacon,
Yes I totally agree with you.
They didn’t give her up because they were no doubt claiming all sorts of benefits and getting their rent paid.

[BakedBeans47]

Its awful how children are treated in this country as second class citizens

I completely agree. The legal system time and time again demonstrates by virtue of sentences applied that it doesn’t value the lives of children. Appalling.

[Flashingbeacon]

I don’t know the details, I’m not sure I want the details in my head but it seems the bloke was working. The text seem annoyed. Why put up with it? Just drop her off.
Is it about losing face on Facebook, that status was chilling.
I am no fan of health visitors but this is the argument for continuing visits.
I’m in a weird headspace but for gods sake give people £100 a week if they hand over their kids rather than abuse them. This wasn’t neglect (which I’m not excusing) this was active abuse? I don’t understand how you get into that headspace.

[ShirazShirley86]

Oh god I was just about to go to bed and then read this. It’s so sickening. That poor baby.

Think I’m going to go cuddle ds and dd (they’ve found their way into my bed)

Another one thinking they’ll be breeding as soon as they are out, well, if they get the chance. Child murderers aren’t tolerated well in prison.

[avamiah]

This little girl was tied up in her cot and suffered a painful death .
10 years is not a long enough sentence.

[Womantheonlykind]

I think parenting should be taught in schools. Basic care, empathy,recognising pain and illness, what to do if it gets too much.

How can people not seek immediate help for a child that age self harming? How can they be stupid enough to try to beat it out of her?

The sentencing is disgraceful. That poor baby.