Childminder jailed for 12 years after ‘snapping’ and shaking baby to death

A childminder who shook a baby boy to death “in frustration” at the fact he was crying after falling from a chair then tried to blame his mother for his death has been jailed.

Karen Foster, 63, left nine-month-old Harlow Collinge with unsurvivable brain injuries after dropped off at her home in Hapton, Lancashire, by mum Gemma Collinge.

Just two hours later, Preston Crown Court heard the childminder – who had been breaking Ofsted rules to make more money from parents – rang emergency services to say Harlow had stopped breathing.

The youngster was rushed away by ambulance to hospital, where Foster hugged his mother and claimed he had begun choking and she had slapped him on the back.

Foster claimed she had checked his mouth and slapped him in an attempt to dislodge anything stuck.

She then later tried to blame Ms Collinge for the injuries.

Harlow, who was injured on 1 March 2022, died four days later in his parents’ arms having suffered massive brain injuries.

The court heard Foster, despite claiming benefits for ill health, was a registered childminder who had been breaking Ofsted rules on the numbers and ages of children she should be caring for, to make more money from parents.

Following a 15 month investigation she was charged with Harlow’s murder, which she denied.

But, as she appeared in the dock to stand trial, Foster pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting shaking Harlow in frustration.

Her basis of plea was that “forceful shaking” of Harlow caused his death after he had toppled over out of his high chair, began crying and she shook him in frustration, the court heard.

A judge said her claim to be remorseful was difficult to reconcile, as she only admitted what actually happened when her trial began.