'Monster' mum murdered her own son, 2, in 'worst case of abuse ever seen'

Branded a "monster" by police, a 25-year-old mother was convicted of the savage murder of her own child after his post-mortem tragically revealed he had endured horrific abuse.

Keanu Williams was just two when his body was discovered with 37 injuries in January 2011.

He was found with a fractured skull and torn abdomen at his home in Ward End, Birmingham, where he lived with his mother Rebecca Shuttleworth.

The post-mortem disclosed not only severe bruising across the child's body but also marks suggesting he had been beaten with a stick or rod using tremendous force.

The tear discovered in his abdomen was described as "fist-sized", causing significant blood loss, reports the Mirror.

Following an intense five-month trial, Shuttleworth was convicted and sentenced to serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars.

Passing sentence at Birmingham Crown Court, Mr Justice Spencer said: "The jury have convicted you of the brutal murder of your two-year-old son.

"He was a defenceless child, and it was your duty to protect him. Instead, you beat him so severely he died a lingering death from his injuries a day or so later. You have also been convicted of cruelty by failing to summon the medical aid he so badly needed," he BBC reports.

On 9 January 2011, an emergency call was placed at approximately 7.40pm and when paramedics arrived, Keanu was found collapsed on the sofa.

The toddler's death was confirmed later that evening. It's believed many of the injuries Keanu suffered could have been inflicted 48 hours before emergency services were contacted.

Their understanding is that the youngster was frequently abandoned in a room to endure agony alone.

Det Chf Insp Marsh expressed her views outside court, saying: "It's extremely difficult to understand how someone could do that to their own child. Rebecca Shuttleworth is clearly somebody who is not like a normal member of society.

"In the past, I have described her as a monster, and perhaps I would stand by that."

She added: "I don't like to imagine the kind of death this little boy suffered because it clearly was horrendous. He did suffer terribly at the hands of his mother, who should have loved him unconditionally, and clearly she did that to him. This is the worst case of child abuse I have ever seen."

Despite this outcome, many directed blame towards Birmingham's local authorities, as warning signs of mistreatment were thought to be concealed in plain view.

The independent chair of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board, Jane Held, said the agencies involved were guilty of "totally unacceptable and unnecessary failures".

She added: "Keanu died because there was a failure across every agency to see, hear and respond to him. Staff were distracted by his mother's needs. Keanu died because people missed opportunity after opportunity to intervene."

In the wake of this tragedy, it was confirmed by those detained at the time that a significant number of council and health staff had either resigned or been sacked. Although the exact number was not disclosed, she suggested that it was in double figures.