DAD GUILTY OF MURDERING PREMATURE BABY SON IN HOSPITAL
A father has been convicted of the murder of his two-week-old infant while on a neonatal ward.Brendon Staddon, prematurely born at 33 weeks, received multiple injuries including a fractured skull, a broken neck, jaw, and legs at Yeovil District Hospital’s special care unit on March 5, 2024.
Daniel Gunter, aged 27 and without a fixed address, denied harming his son but was found guilty of murder at Bristol Crown Court.
He is due to be sentenced on October 3.
Brendon's mother, Sophie Staddon, was acquitted of a lesser offence related to her child’s death and was told by the judge she was free to go.
A juror was visibly upset when the verdicts were announced, wiping tears as she was comforted by fellow jurors.
The defendants appeared unaffected emotionally during the court proceedings.
Following the verdict, Brendon’s grandfather, Simon Gunter, described the baby as tiny yet beautiful, weighing less than two bags of sugar.
He expressed family excitement about Brendon’s arrival, noting they had bought toys and clothes, but lamented the loss of future memories.
“We won't see his first steps or hear his first words.
We won’t take him on his first holiday or watch him grow into a young boy and then a man.
These moments are forever gone.” he said.
He added, “I wish Daniel received the justice he deserves, but nothing can return Brendon to us.” Nursing staff at the hospital had concerns about the parents’ behaviour, particularly Gunter’s handling of the baby, with court testimonies revealing Gunter ignored medical advice, removed Brendon from his incubator without permission, overstimulated him, and took out his nasal gastric tube.
An expert witness stated that Brendon’s injuries were consistent with head swings against hard surfaces, possibly multiple times, while held by the ankles.
Ch Insp Nadine Partridge from Avon and Somerset Police described the case as one of her most difficult, calling Gunter’s actions “evil.” She detailed that viewing the injuries during the post-mortem was highly distressing, emphasizing the extent of trauma to the small baby.
Court hears Gunter was angry during diaper changing and threatened to complain about nurses when they intervened.
There were concerns that Ms Staddon was being controlled by Gunter, as he often spoke for her and managed her meals.
Brendon was born on 20 February 2024 and was left at the hospital by his parents on 29 February, only returning on 4 March.
Around 4 a.m.
the next day, Ms Staddon told staff she found Brendon “cold,” with doctors believing he had been dead for at least 30 minutes before being discovered.
While attempts were made to resuscitate him, Gunter and Ms Staddon went outside to smoke, claiming they needed “air.” Neither of the parents provided testimony during the trial.
Ch Insp Partridge observed that Gunter appeared more concerned about his phone and vape at the time of arrest and never inquired about Brendon’s condition.
She remarked, "Daniel's not shown any remorse whatsoever on his arrest or during his police interviews," she said.
Following the verdict she added: "Brendon was failed in life.
In death, justice is the only protection we can still offer him.
"Cases where both the victim and the defendant are related in some way are among the most challenging for us as police.
"I would like to firstly give my condolences to Brendon's grandparents and their wider family, who we have supported through specialist family liaison officers." Following the verdict a spokesperson for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said it has been an "incredibly distressing" case in which its colleagues gave evidence about their interactions with Gunter and Ms Staddon.
"We are part of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review, along with other agencies, that will thoroughly examine the circumstances around baby Brendon's death," they added.
"It is well underway and will be published in the autumn."
