A man in England has been found guilty of murder. A jury believed that Daniel Gunter murdered his 2-week-old son while the boy was in the specialized care unit of a hospital. Over the course of the trial, it was revealed that Gunter had a history of abuse and was often controlling of his partner, the baby’s mother. His abuse extended to the baby in a truly horrific manner. Even after his son died, he didn’t seem remorseful for the loss or the role he played in it. Not only that, but a motive for his killing was never really established.
In addition to 27-year-old Daniel Gunter being found guilty of the murder of his son Brendon Staddon, the boy’s mother, 21-year-old Sophie Staddon, was found not guilty of the charge of causing or allowing the death of a child, The Guardian reported.
On March 5, 2024, Sophie Staddon allegedly asked nurses in the Yeovil District Hospital’s special care baby unit to check on Brendon, who was born at 33 weeks, because he felt cold. When nurses went to check on the baby, they had no idea what horror awaited them. Brendon had a fractured skull, a broken neck, a broken jaw, and broken legs. He also was covered in bruises, the jury heard.
While doctors and nurses rushed to save the baby, Gunter and Staddon allegedly went outside to smoke a cigarette.
During the trial, it was explained that nurses in the hospital were worried about the newborn’s safety. Gunter would repeatedly take the baby out of his incubator against the advice of the nursing staff, per The Guardian. He was also warned against jiggling, poking, and rubbing Brendon, which could send him into distress. Once, Gunter removed the baby’s nasal tube, they said.
Based on the injuries, Gunter may have held and twisted the baby’s limbs. He also likely struck his head against a hard object repeatedly.
“It’s horrifying. It’s almost impossible to imagine anyone doing that to a precious 2-week-old premature baby,” Inspector Nadine Partridge of the Somerset and Avon Police shared, according to The Guardian.
“The extent of the injuries are nothing I’ve ever seen before. Brendon’s little tiny precious body at just two weeks old, there wasn’t any part of him that wasn’t harmed,” she explained, per the BBC. Partridge also called Daniel Gunter “evil” for the things he did to his son.
Partridge shared that “Daniel’s not shown any remorse whatsoever on his arrest or during his police interviews.” This was also true during the trial.
Police don’t have a concrete motive for why Gunter murdered his son, but they believe it may have had something to do with housing, The Guardian reported. He and Staddon were homeless when she got pregnant, and he feared social services may have housed her and Brendon and not him.
Simon Gunter, the baby’s grandfather, spoke after the verdict was read. “As a family, we were so happy and excited,” he explained, per the BBC. “But, we have been robbed of a life of memories of Brendon.”
“I hope Daniel gets what he deserves for what he did to Brendon but, whatever the outcome, it will never bring him back.”
Daniel Gunter will face sentencing in October.
