Life Sentence for Man Who Shook Baby to Death and Attempted Cover-Up
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a six-month-old baby after violently shaking the child to death and then engaging in an elaborate attempt to conceal his crime.
Tragic Events in Houghton Regis
Kieran Humphreys, aged 33, was left in sole care of baby Archie Woodbridge on 9 February 2024 at a friend's home in Houghton Regis, near Luton. While responsible for the infant's welfare, Humphreys subjected Archie to violent shaking that caused fatal brain injuries and fractured ribs.
Instead of immediately seeking emergency medical assistance for the critically injured child, Humphreys made the shocking decision to phone his own mother, Sharon Humphreys, and spent valuable time browsing Facebook, shopping for clothes online, and looking at holiday destinations.
Delayed Emergency Response and Systematic Deception
Approximately 90 minutes passed before an ambulance was finally called, during which time Archie was taken to a relative's home in Bromley Gardens. When paramedics eventually arrived, Humphreys lied to them, claiming the baby had been with his mother when he became unwell and insisting he hadn't been present during the incident.
The deception extended to all four adults involved, who collectively told police that Archie had fallen ill while with his mother at Bromley Gardens and that emergency services had been contacted immediately. This coordinated falsehood was maintained despite the child's life-threatening condition.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
During the trial, it emerged that Humphreys had only met Archie's mother, Saskia Woodbridge, a week before the incident. The trial judge noted that Ms Woodbridge had believed Humphreys would care properly for her child because he had "lavished attention on them."
Judge Mr Justice Morris revealed in his sentencing remarks that at the time of the offence, Humphreys had been on bail for an unrelated allegation with a specific condition prohibiting unsupervised contact with children under 16.
Humphreys was found guilty of murdering a child under one, child cruelty, and perverting the course of justice. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years before parole consideration.
Additional Convictions and Police Response
Sharon Humphreys, along with friends Sam Wyatt and Karen Smith who owned the property where the incident occurred, all admitted conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Sharon Humphreys received a nine-month prison sentence, Wyatt was jailed for 15 months, and Smith received a one-year sentence.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Gardner from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit described the case as "a truly shocking and senseless act of violence against a defenceless baby."
Shan Saunders from the Crown Prosecution Service stated: "This is a heartbreaking case. Despite convincing Archie's mother that he cared for her little boy, Kieran Humphreys violently cut his life short. Humphreys will now spend a long time in prison but nothing can ever make up for the loss of Archie."
Emergency services had been alerted by Bedfordshire Police just before 5.30pm on the day of the incident, and despite being rushed to hospital, baby Archie died later that evening from his catastrophic injuries.
