By Emma Stanley & PA Media, BBC News, Lancashire
Family handout
A childminder who admitted shaking and killing a nine-month-old baby boy she was supposed to be looking after has been jailed for 12 years and seven months for manslaughter.
Karen Foster, 62, left Harlow Collinge with unsurvivable brain injuries after he had been dropped off at her home by his mother Gemma Collinge, the court heard.
Harlow was taken to hospital from the address in Hapton, near Burnley, Lancashire, on 1 March, 2022, but died four days later.
Following sentencing, his family said they had lost their son “in the most horrific of circumstances”.
Lancashire Police
Foster was due to stand trial at Preston Crown Court for his murder last week but the prosecution accepted a plea of manslaughter.
The basis of her plea was that her “forceful shaking” caused Harlow’s death after he fell out of his high chair and began crying, the court heard.
Foster, a registered childminder with nine years experience, called 999 to say he was not breathing, and told a paramedic he had “suddenly collapsed”.
After Harlow was rushed away by ambulance, Foster hugged his mother at the hospital and claimed the youngster had begun choking and that she had slapped him on the back.
But she later tried to blame Ms Collinge for the injuries.
Harlow died days later in his parents’ arms having suffered massive brain injuries.
‘Horrible, fake individual’
Foster, despite claiming benefits for ill health, had been breaking Ofsted rules on the numbers and ages of children she should have been caring for, to make more money from parents, the court heard.
Relatives of Harlow shouted “scumbag” and “I hate you” as Foster was led away from the dock after being sentenced by High Court judge Mr Justice Barry Cotter.
The judge described Harlow as a “happy, healthy, much-loved” boy, but said that Foster, despite ill health and pain in her hip, chose to carry on looking after more children than she should have under Ofsted rules, and this had contributed to her “loss of temper”.
He said: “I have no doubt you snapped on the 1st of March 2022, in part due to the fact that you were not coping with the demands of caring for four children.
“You lost your temper and he was on the receiving end.
“You shook an (almost) 10-month-old child so violently to cause devastating injuries. His death was caused in the course of an assault.”
In a statement, Harlow’s family said: “We do not know where to begin explaining what it is like losing our son in the most horrific of circumstances.
“Our boy’s life has been taken away by a horrible, fake individual, who we trusted and who promised to care for him.
“No words can describe how it has ruined our lives.”
‘Unimaginable loss’
Harlow’s mother, father Allen Frangleton, older siblings and wider family, sat in the public gallery, weeping as Foster’s case was heard and their victim impact statements were read out.
Ms Collinge spoke of the “guilt” she felt, having made arrangements to move Harlow to a nursery six weeks after first using Foster as a childminder, due to her own concerns about the number of children being looked after.
“All the red flags I missed,” she continued before recalling Foster trying to comfort her at the hospital, claiming Harlow had choked on pasta.
She added: “She even put her arms around me. I can’t think of anything more evil. It is despicable. I blame myself every day for my son’s death. This monster, Karen Foster, deserves nothing. I hope her actions haunt her.”
Det Supt Allen Davies, of Lancashire Police, said: “The case of evidence proved beyond all reasonable doubt that Foster was solely responsible for Harlow’s unlawful killing, meaning Foster finally admitted her guilt last week.
“My thoughts remain with Harlow’s family who have behaved with dignity while dealing with such an unimaginable and unexpected loss.”
