Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
A pair of ‘monsters’ left their premature baby ‘non-verbal’ due to significant brain trauma inflicted on her in 10 days of horrific abuse.
Tom Kember and Katherine Reilly have been convicted unanimously of child cruelty despite denying all charges, with the former also found guilty of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Tom Kember searched multiple things on Google including ‘can I get dosent for abiseing (sic)… baby’ (Avon and Somerset Police)
A British court heard how 27-year-old Kember made horrific Google searches which hinted at the abuse he put the little girl through.
On January 12, 2020, he took to the search engine to find out the answer to ‘what happend aif u (sic) hit a baby’s face’ – suggesting he had assaulted the tot, while also searching ‘can a baby be sick if it gets hit’.
The following day, at 10.45pm, while visiting a fast-food restaurant with both 25-year-old Reilly and the baby, he proceeded to search ‘if baby hits its head does the baby sleep a lot’.
Just hours later, at 1.20am, the court heard how he finally called 111 – a non-emergency number medical helpline in the UK – to report his baby’s state of health.
Later on that morning, on January 14, 2020, after the baby had finally returned to the hospital they had been discharged from 10 days prior, he searched ‘can I get dosent for abiseing (sic)… baby’.
Katherine Reilly was found guilty of child abuse after her daughter was found with injuries similar to those sustained in a high-speed traffic collision (Avon and Somerset Police)
The prosecution’s case suggested Kember, who, alongside Reilly from Taunton, in Somerset, meant to search ‘can I get done for abusing… baby’.
The jury heard how medical evidence found that the baby’s injuries were similar to those seen in previous high-speed traffic collisions or from falls from a one-storey building, ruling out a domestic accident.
Judge Julian Lambert described the pair’s wicked crimes as a ‘monstrous act’ following the jury’s verdict.
Det Ch Insp Roger Doxsey, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: “It is tragic to reflect that having been born at 31 weeks she was readmitted to hospital with these terrible injuries before her due date.
“A helpless baby has been abused by adults who were more concerned with avoiding the consequences of their actions than with seeking medical help for her.
The little girl, who was only weeks old at the time of the abuse, was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton (Google Street View)
“I would like to pay tribute to the medical staff who helped to ensure this little girl’s remarkable survival, and the family who are now providing her with such love and care.”
The little girl has since been adopted by foster parents, who have been caring for her since she was four months old.
With the child now four years old, the court heard how she is non-verbal, with significant visual impairment, suffering from multiple daily seizures and other complex needs.
Reilly has been bailed ahead of sentencing, due to take place on January 24, while Kember remains in custody.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.