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Keegan Downer murder: Woman guilty of killing 18-month-old girl

A woman from Birmingham has been convicted of murdering a toddler who suffered a catalogue of "horrific" injuries over several months.

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Kandyce Downer will be sentenced at the city's Crown Court tomorrow after jurors took under three hours to convict her of killing 18-month-old Keegan Downer.

A trial which began in April was told Downer, of Beckbury Road, Weoley Castle, was appointed as Keegan's guardian around nine months before her death last September.

West Midlands Police said today that at the time of her death, Keegan had 200 injuries inflicted over several months.

They included broken ribs, fractures to her legs and a head injury, but Downer never sought medical help.

She died in September last year when she was rished to Birmoingham Children's Hopsital in cardiac arrest. The injuries she sustained over the previous mtnhs led to infenction and bolood posining which led to her death.

She weighed just 8.05kg when she died.

Police said that outwardly Downer, 34, and herself a mother, appeared to provide a loving and stable home for the child.

But Det Insp Harry Harrison, from the force's homicide team, said: "We believe the abuse started when her relationship began to go wrong. This was an extremely disturbing and harrowing case to investigate. What Downer subjected Keegan to was barbaric, inhuman and evil.

"The death of one so young is always tragic but it is horrifying to think of the amount of violence and suffering this young child must have endured in the last few months of her short life in the hands of someone she should have been able to trust.

"I am also astounded by the lack of emotion shown by Downer throughout this investigation. She has not shown a shred of remorse or sorrow. When she finally gave an explanation in the witness box, she even tried to blame Keegan's injuries on her other children, which I find inconceivable and unbelievable."

"Throughout Downer has shown she is cunning and devious, even disposing of Keegan's mattress and bedding and buying new bedding shortly before her death.

"Whilst we have today seen justice done, it does not change the tragic fact that an innocent child has lost her life in heart-breaking circumstances.

"I want to thank everyone who has worked hard to find justice for Keegan, including the investigation team and all those who have provided vital evidence to this harrowing inquiry."

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