Yorkshire man killed two-year-old step son and mum found guilty of allowing murder

Sarah O’Brien, aged 33, has been found guilty of allowing the death of her two-year-old son after being cleared of murder in a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

The five-week long trial found Sarah O’Brien’s partner of six months, Martin Currie, guilty of the murder of the toddler, who died of a head injury.

Jurors were told that two-year-old Keigen O’Brien suffered a brain bleed in the incident in January, possibly from having his head hit against a wall or the floor.

Over the previous weeks, he had suffered a broken spine, broken ribs and a broken arm due to twisting.

Currie and O’Brien were also both found guilty of cruelty to a child.

Just two days after his second birthday, Keigen had been in the care of 36-year-old Currie at the family home in Bosworth Road, Doncaster while his mother was out of the house.

The trial heard that Currie searched the internet for terms including “irregular breathing”, “gurgling” and “unconscious” two hours before seeking medical help.

The couple rang 999 at 10.55am after claiming to have found him not breathing in bed and did not explain how he came by his injuries.

Police officers arrived on scene and commenced CPR until the ambulance arrived a few minutes later and paramedics resuscitated Keigan and transported him to hospital.

Two days after this and four days after his birthday, Keigen sadly died.

The court heard that the couple had previously called Keigan derogatory names in messages to each other.

O’Brien had embarked on the relationship with Currie six months before Keigan’s death, despite warnings not to go out with him, the court heard.

O’Brien also allowed Currie to move in with her shortly after she began a relationship with him in July 2019.

From that point on, witnesses noticed a marked change in her attitude and behaviour towards her son.

In October 2019, O’Brien did not seek medical help when her son suffered two black eyes while in the care of Currie, telling her friend the toddler had fallen down the stairs, jurors were told.

O’Brien explained to the friend she did not take him to hospital because “they will start asking questions”.

Later examination found blood spatters on the wall by Keigan’s high chair, not from the time he was fatally injured, and on Currie’s clothes, the prosecution said.

The jury delivered its verdicts after deliberating for nearly 13 hours.

The defendants did not sit in the dock together but heard the verdicts separately.

They will be sentenced at a later date.

Keigan’s biological father paid tribute to his son, he said: “Keigan was such a special little boy. He was lovable, playful, energetic and full of fun.

“He will always have a place in our hearts and will be missed terribly. He will never be forgotten and we are truly heart broken.”

Jill Brookes, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Tragically, little Keigan O’Brien’s life came to an end only four days after his second birthday.

“He was killed in his own home – the place where he should have been safest from harm.

“Having heard all the evidence, the jury decided that Currie inflicted fatal injuries on the defenceless little boy and O’Brien took no steps to protect her child. They both then lied about what had happened.”

She added: “The desperately sad and shocking outcome of this case is that Keigan’s life ended before it had barely begun.”