Hertfordshire man, 23, found guilty of murder of girlfriend’s baby
Man, 23, who killed his girlfriend’s three-month-old baby by violently shaking her and throwing her into her cot after being left alone to feed her is found guilty of murder
- Davey Everson claimed Millie-Rose had choked while he was feeding her in 2018
- The newborn was suffering a bleed to the brain, along with fractures to her spine
- Millie-Rose’s mother allowed Everson to spend time with her despite concerns
- Everson has been convicted of murder of cruelty to a person under the age of 16
- Millie Rose’s mother was also convicted on a charge relating to her death
A man who killed his girlfriend’s newborn baby by violently shaking her and throwing her into a cot has been found guilty of murder.
Davey Everson, 23, claimed Millie-Rose Burdett had choked while he was left alone feeding her at the mother’s home in Hertfordshire in December 2018.
The baby girl was rushed to hospital, where doctors discovered she was in fact suffering from a bleed on the brain, caused by head trauma, along with fractures to multiple ribs, her legs and her spine.
Davey Everson murdered three-month old Millie-Rose Burdett by shaking her before throwing her against a cot. A court heard he lied to paramedics and claimed she had choked while he was feeding her
Jurors at St Albans Crown Court convicted Everson of murder and a separate charge of cruelty to a person under 16, relating to another child who cannot be named.
Mille Rose’s mother, Kirsty Burdett, 25, was found guilty of causing/allowing the death of her baby daughter and the neglect of a person aged under 16.
The court heard how Burdett had previously witnessed Everson forcefully shoving a bottle into Millie Rose’s mouth, so that she started to bleed.
Despite this, she allowed her boyfriend to keep feeding Millie-Rose, who was born in November 2018.
Millie-Rose’s mother, Kirsty Burdett allowed Everson to feed her daughter, despite watching him force a bottle into her mouth, causing her to start bleeding. She has been convicted of causing/allowing the death of her baby daughter and the neglect of a person aged under 16
The final, fatal injury to Millie, was caused by Everson shaking her and throwing against a cot, the court heard.
Medical experts believe that Millie had been shaken ‘violently and forcefully’ on more than one occasion.
Millie tragically died in hospital aged just three months on January 11, 2019 after the intensive care support was withdrawn.
During the trial, jurors heard Everson was ‘aggressive and verbally unpleasant’ towards Miss Burdett and was ‘rough and violent’ towards her new baby daughter.
‘It is plain now Millie suffered injuries of varying degrees of severity during her short life,’ said David Spens, prosecuting.
On another occasion, witnesses said he had ‘shoved the bottle hard into her mouth saying f****** drink it – take it you f****** b****.’
Detective Inspector Iain Macpherson said: ‘Everson is a dangerous and cruel man who has showed no remorse for what he has done.
Jurors at St Albans Crown Court convicted Everson of murder and a separate charge of cruelty to a person under 16, relating to another child who cannot be named. He will be sentenced alongside Burdett next Friday
‘He made no comment throughout police interviews and has never explained how defenceless Millie-Rose suffered her fatal injuries.
‘Burdett put her own interests before her child and failed in her fundamental duty to keep her safe from harm. She protected Everson, telling others that bruising to her baby’s face had been caused by her falling from a car seat when in fact Everson was responsible.
‘Our focus was to achieve justice for Millie-Rose, and this investigation has given her a voice.’
Everson and Burdett are both due to be sentenced at The Old Bailey in London on Friday, February 12.
