Seven fractured ribs and a broken leg left untreated: The catalogue of 200 horrific injuries suffered by girl, 18 months, who lived in 'excruciating pain' as her 'barbaric' 'foster mother' gets 18 years for her murder

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Shocking pictures have revealed the extent of injuries suffered by a murdered toddler who was beaten repeatedly and left with one leg shorter than the other after her broken leg went untreated.

'Barbaric' Kandyce Downer, 35, from Weoley Castle, Birmingham, was jailed for life today for the murder of 18-month-old Keegan Downer, who died at the family home on September 5 last year just months after Downer became her legal guardian.

Little Keegan had been repeatedly beaten and suffered more than 200 injuries, including seven broken ribs, broken legs and severe head and spine injuries. She had 153 scars on her body, including her face and neck.

Today, as Downer was told by a judge at Birmingham Crown Court she would serve at least 18 years behind bars for the death of the toddler, details of the girl's catalogue of injuries were revealed for the first time in a series of x-rays and scans.

'Barbaric': Downer with baby Keegan. The infant had more than 200 separate injuries - including seven broken ribs and broken legs. She also had 153 scars on her body, including her face and neck.

These images of Keegan's left (left), and right (right) femurs show how badly damaged the right had been. The untreated spiral leg fracture left the youngster with one leg shorter than the other, and the court heard that the little girl would have been in excruciating pain as a result of the injury

Among them was an untreated spiral fracture on her right leg, which had left the thigh bone misshapen and half an inch shorter than the left limb and would have caused the toddler excruciating pain.

Jurors in the trial were told that Keegan's bones had been subjected to the sort of force usually experienced in a car crash.

Prosecutor Nigel Power QC said the toddler would have been 'crying and possibly screaming', making it inconceivable that someone looking after her would have been unaware of the injury.

Her left thigh bone had been fractured several times, most recently in the weeks before her death, and she had also suffered a traumatic head or spine injury, which was at least several days old when she died. 

A post-mortem examination revealed the toddler died from a combination of old head injuries, septicaemia, a bacterial infection, and blunt chest trauma.

Downer had denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child when she went on trial at the start of last month - and even tried to blame it on her teenage son.

But she was found unanimously guilty of both counts after almost three hours of deliberations by a jury yesterday afternoon.

Downer wearing a blue coat, looked down and showed no emotion as she was sentenced by Mrs Justice Frances Patterson, who branded her 'vicious and unfeeling'. 

She added: 'This is a serious case involving the killing of a defenceless child who deserved protection.

'It's a horrific tale of callous conduct, at no stage have you shown any remorse.

'Why you changed from being a loving and caring mother to a brutal attacker of a defenceless child is a mystery.' 

Shocking photographs released today revealed the extent of Keegan's catalogue of injuries, including those on her rib cage, right pelvis, right femur - which had been badly broken (left) - and left femur (all highlighted, right)

In all, little Keegan had suffered seven broken ribs. She had also suffered severe head and spine injuries

Downer had been appointed Keegan's guardian in January 2015 with the blessing of social services, but in June 2015, six months after Keegan was put in Downer's care, the systematic abuse began. 

Downer, who was a full-time business student with four other children of her own, had denied murdering the toddler, but had admitted leaving Keegan alone in the youngster's bedroom to take her natural daughter out on the day of the toddler's death. 

Keegan was found unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital but was pronounced dead on her arrival. 

The court heard forensic scientists found more than 80 blood spatters on the walls by her cot with 30 in the cot and more on the doors of a cupboard under the stairs.

But Downer never sought medical help for Keegan, who weighed 17.7lbs, little more than one stone, at the time of her death and never registered her with a GP.

A post-mortem showed signs of 'developmental regression', the court was told.

The judge told 'vicious and unfeeling' Downer she had inflicted terrible injuries on the child, including brain damage which caused the defenceless youngster to regress. 

'Keegan suffered considerably in the last days and months of her life,' the judge told Downer.

'Keegan's brain was underdeveloped because of layers of scar tissue brought on over time.

An alternative view of Keegan's right femur also reveals the extent of her injuries. The judge told Downer that although she had not 'set out with the intention to kill Keegan', the repeated assaults made her death an increasingly likely outcome

The right side of Keegan's pelvis (pictured) was also badly hurt. She had suffered more than 200 injuries

'As a result of the trauma Keegan's brain was incarcerated in scar tissue which caused persistent pressure on it, preventing it from growing.

'Keegan would have become backwards in her development, she would have regressed from what she could go physically.

'The medical explanation is that the bruising and injuries to Keegan's face and head would have been evident to her carers.

'These injuries would have been caused by a punch or a hard slap or forcing the feeding bottle into Keegan's mouth.

'You did not set out with the intention to kill Keegan but the repeated assaults upon her made death as an outcome of your conduct increasingly likely with the passage of time.'

Mrs Justice Patterson added that Downer had 'hitherto been an exemplary mother' but had caused untold suffering on the little girl in her care.

She said: 'The bruising and injuries to Keegan's face, head and frenuli (mouth tissue) would have been evident to her carers.

'These injuries would have been caused by a hard slap, a punch, or forcing a feeding bottle into her mouth.' 

Keegan collapsed at home shortly before 10am on the day of her death, after Downer left her alone for more than two hours to take another daughter to a wedding rehearsal.

But after Downer returned home, CCTV showed her driving to go to dump a blood-spattered mattress, a baby-grow and pyjamas near a skip before she rang 999.

Opening the case last month, Mr Power, said: 'The likelihood is that Keegan was already dead when paramedics arrived.'

During the three-week trial, the court heard a medical professional describe Keegan's facial injuries as the worst he had ever seen.

Downer even tried to blame her teenage son for Keegan's death after claiming most of the 'day-to-day' care was down to him and her three younger children when asked to explain Keegan's grave injuries.

Downer was pregnant at the time with her married lover's child, with Mr Power describing her personal life as being 'in some disarray', with an ongoing divorce and relationship troubles.

The court heard little Keegan - who was originally named Shi-Anne Rose Gi-Gi Downer - was removed from her heroin addict mother days after her birth in March 2014.

She was placed with experienced foster carer Jane Murray - who was in court today - for 10 months before Downer sought a special guardianship order, which is intended to be a halfway house between long-term fostering and adoption.  

Downer, 35, from Weoley Castle, Birmingham, beat 18-month-old Keegan (right) with such force over a number of weeks that the youngster had suffered broken legs and ribs as well as severe head and spine injuries

A judge told Downer (pictured) she had shown no remorse for attacking the little girl

It emerged in court that Downer had also previously and unsuccessfully tried to become the legal guardian of the Keegan's older sister.

Birmingham City Council later approached Downer to ask if she wanted to take on Keegan herself.

The judge said: 'They contacted you to see whether you would be interested in caring for another baby girl, and you indicated a willingness to do so.' 

Police fear Downer - who is the ex-wife of Negus Downer, a cousin of Keegan's biological father David - only wanted Keegan to rake in £125-a-week maintenance payments.

She also secured a four-figure lump sum towards the cost of a new car for taking on the tot, on top of her housing benefit and child support.

As part of the agreement to become the infant's legal guardian, it was agreed that Downer could change her new daughter's Christian name to Keegan.  

Concerns were first raised in September 2014 when Downer cancelled a planned visit to see Keegan at Mrs Murray's home because she was waiting on a decision on the funding.

Mrs Murray forwarded the messages to a social worker because she was concerned the mother was only motivated to look after Keegan for money.

But the funding was confirmed and Downer was granted the special guardianship order by a judge following an assessment by Labour-run Birmingham City Council.

Keegan then moved into Downer's home in January last year - just eight months before her death in September.

A host of witnesses said Downer had been 'a good mother', and the toddler attended nursery until June that year.

However, Mrs Justice Patterson described this as 'a turning point', because it ended any public scrutiny of the child's care.

The court heard Keegan was last seen by a health visitor five months before her death and an expert reported the youngster seemed fine. 

A tearful Elaine Downer, Keegan's paternal grandmother, (pictured) said outside court that she could not understand how Keegan's injuries had gone unnoticed

In a victim impact statement read out in court yesterday, Mrs Murray said: 'Hearing of Shi-Anne's death was shocking and unbelievably painful and it has left me devastated.

'I spent the first 10 months of her short life loving, nurturing and teaching her, helping her to grow into the pleasant girl I knew.

'Shi-Anne's death has left me wondering why I let her go even thought it was my job to do just that.

'My six-year-old daughter is frightened and worried that someone will come into the house and kill us.

Darren Mahon (pictured), who had cared for the baby before she was taken in by Downer described the killer as 'conniving and manipulative'

'She stopped eating, she said that if Shi-Anne can't come back she wants to go to Shi-Anne.

'It's difficult to understand how anyone could hurt such a sweet, placid child.

'I love my job giving a safe home to a child when they are at their most vulnerable.

'Shi-Anne's death has had an impact on my job, I've had to take time away from caring for vulnerable children.'

Christopher Millington QC, defending, said: 'Mitigation in this case needs to be brief.

'The evidence suggests this was not an isolated event but events taking place over a significant period of time with significant force and a lack of medical treatment.

'There is a powerful amount of good character evidence here.

'This is entirely out of character. She was not abusive towards Keegan from the very outset.' 

Speaking outside court after the hearing, a tearful Elaine Downer, Keegan's paternal grandmother, said: 'I came all the way from America. I have never met Keegan before but I was distraught when I heard about her death.

'I never met her but it's important that I come and see what was really going on and it really disturbed me a lot. I have nightmares about it.

'I can't explain how I feel because I have never met her but she is part of me and it is my son's child and I am attached even though I am not living here. I am satisfied with what went on in the court.

'I can't understand how no-one noticed [her injuries] and that shocked me.

'Not meeting your grandchild or to see her grow up or to hear her laugh or to ever get married it means a lot.

'It's your grandchild because it means more because grandparents always seem to spoil their grandchildren.

'It is terrible, it is a nightmare. I am glad justice was served. You don't get over that and the way she died.'

Asked about the decision to place Keegan with Downer, she added: 'It was wrong of them but they probably thought she was a good person.

'But we all make mistakes, we are not perfect.'

Darren Mahon, who had cared for the baby before she was taken in by Downer described the killer as 'conniving and manipulative'.

Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from West Midlands Police, added: 'I am just pleased that Kandyce has finally been brought to justice.

Keegan was found unconscious in her cot after suffering a cardiac arrest at the family home (pictured)

She was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital (pictured but was later pronounced dead

'Today clearly marks the end of the criminal justice process and the police will work with our partner agencies to contribute and support the serious case review.

'Today has not been about Kandyce Downer, today should be about Keegan Downer and we need to pause and think about that beautiful child.

'I don't understand it [what happened to Keegan], I really don't understand the mentality, the horrific crime she committed, it is just dreadful.'

Asked if it was one of the worst cases he has ever worked on, Det Insp Harrison replied: 'It is the worst.'

A lessons-learned serious case review is being carried out by Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) into Keegan's contact with health and social services in the run-up to her death.

The board's chairman, Penny Thompson, said: 'On behalf of all the agencies who sit on the BSCB I would like to express our deepest sympathy to Shi-Anne's birth family and to those who knew and loved her.

'Following Shi-Anne's tragic death, the board set up an independent inquiry, a serious case review, to establish what lessons could be learned by the agencies involved in this sad case.

'Now that the criminal trial has ended the review can be completed, reflecting on information disclosed during the trial.'

The report will be published in the summer.

An NSPCC spokesman said: 'We hope this sentence will serve as a warning to deter others who would subject children in their care to such astonishing cruelty.

'Little Keegan did not deserve to be treated so abhorrently in her short life. Questions must be asked about how a woman who was entrusted with caring for Keegan ended up killing her. 

'A Serious Case Review must examine in detail the use of the Special Guardianship Order as well as the assessment and long term support arrangements in this case. We urge those conducting the review to learn the lessons of this tragic episode.'

Mother of four allegedly turned on little girl as relationship with her married lover broke down

Downer, (pictured) who was a full-time business student with four other children of her own, had denied murdering the toddler

Kandyce Downer was born in affluent Roehampton, South-West London, the product of a relationship between driver Othman Ayoub, from Sierra Leone, and her Birmingham-born mother, now thought to be a marketing manager.

But in what would prove to be a case of history repeating itself, when Downer was aged just two, her mother, Jean Dennis, killed Mr Ayoub in a domestic indent and was jailed in 1984 for his manslaughter.

Within a few years, Mrs Dennis, now 53, had been released and moved back to Birmingham where she married IT technician Linval Waite, who the defendant considered to be her father.

By her late twenties, Downer was working at a family housing association in Birmingham, winning promotion to become employment development officer. While in that role in 2009, she was interviewed by a local newspaper where, in a terrible irony, she described her parents as her role models for giving her a great start in life and said her ambition was 'to see my children grow up to be happy and successful.'

A profile of her on the association's website described how she strove to 'make a positive contribution' to people's lives.

Downer left the housing association in 2011 for a post as a training manager at delivery firm Yodel, where she would meet her married lover.

But in 2013 she left to pursue a business qualification at Newman University, a former higher education college in Birmingham.

For the first five months of her custody of Keegan, the child attended nursery - where staff reported no concerns - as Downer studied full-time. A health visitor who also assessed during that period last April also recorded that the child was putting on weight at the expected rate.

It was only after Downer finished college for the summer break, in early June, that police believe the mistreatment began.

Following Keegan's death, neighbours said they had no idea a young girl had been living at the semi-detached home and officers believe Downer turned on the child as her relationship with the married lover became increasingly fraught, with messages between the pair outlying her anger at what she perceived to be his reluctance to support her through the pregnancy.

A source said: 'We will never understand what made her do what she did to Keegan, after apparently looking after the child well to begin with. But her private life was in turmoil at the time and we can only surmise that she must have started to take out her anger and frustration at the situation on Keegan'.

During the trial, the jury at Birmingham Crown Court was told that after finding the little girl 'unwell' in her cot, Downer delayed calling 999 and instead got in her car to dump the child's blood-spotted mattress near a skip

Born Shi-Anne Rose GiGi Downer to a heroin addict mother and drug addict father, Keegan Downer was always destined to go straight into care.

But an intervention that should have resulted in a bright and stable future with a loving family instead resulted in a cut-price care placement which ultimately condemned the child to death.

As part of the agreement to become the infant's legal guardian, it was agreed that Downer could change her new daughter's Christian name to Keegan.

The tragic toddler was petty criminal Claire Maybury's seventh child and the seventh to go into care. Her father, David Downer, was jailed for eight years just a month before her birth after Border Force officers found cocaine hidden in tins of spinach in a suitcase when he flew back to the UK from Jamaica.

Incredibly, just two years on, Downer, 50, from Lozells, Birmingham, is already back out on the streets on day-release from prison. He has attended the trial regularly and turned up at court yesterday, but had left before the jury returned their verdict.

Miss Maybury, 43, also of Lozells, ‎could not be contacted. 

'I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT': DETECTIVE SLAMS 'DOWNRIGHT EVIL' DOWNER FOR DEATH OF TRAGIC TODDLER

Yesterday, as Downer was found guilty, Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from West Midlands Police described the case as the worst he had seen in his 26 year career in the police force.

He 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.

Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from West Midlands Police, said he was horrified to think of the amount of suffering Keegan had endured during her short life

'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.'  

He added: 'When she [Downer] was originally in custody and we were trying to assess how the injuries were sustained she answered no comment. She gave no comment in all 10 of her interviews.

'Through her lawyer she did provide a pre-prepared comment saying she was Keegan's full-time carer and she did not know how the injuries were sustained.

'This evidence completely changed during the course of the trial, where she claimed she was not responsible for her injuries and tried to infer it was her other children.

'There were over 200 injuries to Keegan, some of which were more severe than others and some of which we were told alone could have been life threatening.

'I am still trying to comprehend what she did and why she did it. I will never understand it.

'It preys on my mind that the last few months of Keegan's life she must have been in substantial pain.

'Her actions were completely barbaric, inhuman and downright evil.

'Due to Kandyce's lifestyle there was not much opportunity for outsiders to have access to Keegan. She was hidden.

'Any child death is deeply upsetting for everyone concerned, but this is without doubt the most violent and extreme case that I have been part of in my 26 years as a policeman.

'When she tried to blame her children I was stuck for words. It was inconceivable.

'Keegan had a hard start in life and I hope she can now rest in peace and we have provided justice in the result we have achieved.'