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.