Ramsgate man convicted of murdering 13-week-old baby Hunter Hodges

Tyla Wharmby, 24, has been found guilty of murdering baby Hunter Hodges in Ramsgate in July 2022. He was also convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent.

Ramsgate man guilty of baby murder after July 2022 killing

Tyla Wharmby, 24, has been found guilty of murdering 13-week-old Hunter Hodges at a home in Ramsgate, hellorayo.co.uk reports. The killing took place in July 2022, and Wharmby — who was not Hunter's biological father — had denied the charge throughout proceedings.

The jury also convicted Wharmby, of Prestedge Avenue in Ramsgate, of grievous bodily harm with intent. He is due to be sentenced at a later date.

A 999 call released by Kent Police captured Hunter's mother, Shannon Hodges, describing her son's condition to the call handler on the morning the alarm was raised.

"My two-month-old son woke up this morning with a swollen head and it's really, really squishy," she said. "Every time I touch his head he screams."

Detective Inspector Adam Marshall, Kent Police's Senior Investigating Officer on the case, said the investigation team had worked "meticulously to scrutinise the evidence and build a case which ultimately exposed the truth behind Wharmby's lies."

"This was a deeply distressing case involving the death of a very young baby, and our determination to establish what had happened to Hunter, and secure justice on his behalf, was unwavering," Marshall said.

He added that no outcome could lessen the loss suffered by Hunter's family, but expressed hope that the verdict would provide "some measure of accountability."

Marshall paid tribute to Hunter's relatives, describing them as having shown "remarkable courage and strength" throughout what he called a "lengthy and incredibly difficult process," noting they had provided vital evidence and remained steadfast in their support of the investigation.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)