Finley Boden: Baby murdered by parents 'should have been one of most protected children'

Finlay Bowden should have been one of the most protected children in his local authority area. Yet inadequate safeguarding by social services meant he was allowed to live with the parents who eventually killed him. Just 10 months old when he died on Christmas Day 2020, Finlay had over 130 injuries on his body, including broken bones and bruises. His parents, Shannon Marsden and Stephen Bowden, were jailed for life for his murder. Both were known drug users and Bowden had a history of domestic abuse. Today, a review into Finlay's death said that professional interventions should have protected him. There were significant mitigating circumstances in the period leading up to Finlay's death. The Covid lockdowns, the very restricted access, unfamiliar working circumstances and remote meetings, and parental dishonesty and disengagement. However, these are not excuses. Inside the family home, the conditions were squalid. A mouldy milk bottle in Finlay's room, just one of the warning signs missed by Derbyshire County Council's Children's Services. It says although Covid restrictions had a significant impact on its ability to work with the family, there were missed opportunities. For anybody in Children's Services, it's the worst possible thing that can happen. It's an absolutely dreadful thing. And it absolutely was impacted by the pandemic. There's no doubt about that. But that doesn't take away from the fact that we needed also to strengthen our processes, which we have. The review said the most significant professional decision was that Finlay should be allowed to live with his parents. The review found that the safeguarding environment in which that decision was made had been incrementally weakened by decisions, actions, circumstances and events which had preceded it. Tragically, the review concluded that what had been experienced by Finlay in the final weeks of his life was unknown to the professionals who were working with the family at that time. The review has made 11 recommendations, but when asked if they'll prevent another child suffering like Finlay did, the sad but pragmatic response was we can never say never. Fraser Maud, Sky News, Derbyshire.