A 19-year-old man in Britain has been convicted of murdering his partner’s four-month-old baby.

Carl Alesbrook was found guilty of murdering Elijah Shemwell on July 11 at a trial at Derby Crown Court.

Elijah died on 5 January 2022 of a heart attack at his mother’s home in Belper, Derbyshire.

The baby suffered devastating brain injuries after shaking by Alesbrook, who was then 16 years old.

Elijah also had injuries suggestive of whiplash, broken limbs and ribs, as well as 17 bruises around his chest, back and stomach, consistent with grip marks, jurors said.

Medical evidence presented at trial suggested the child had been shaken in at least three different phases.

The 19 -year -old denied that he had felt hostility or that the child had ever been teased but was unanimously convicted of both murder and causing serious bodily harm after a five -week trial.

Criminal prosecution of the mother

Criminal proceedings were also brought against the child’s 24-year-old mother, who, as it was emphasized during the trial, was an irresponsible guardian who did not take care of the infant without, however, having ever directly abused him.

She was sentenced to three years in prison for neglect of the infant, to the degree of abuse, with the indicative argument on which the charge was based being that she did not call the emergency services as soon as possible after realizing that the child was unwell.

Tellingly, before Elijah was rushed to the hospital, the mother was sending videos of the child being sick to her friends on Facebook, asking for advice and even recording the moment the unfortunate infant was struggling to breathe.