A heartbreaking case in the U.K. has revealed that a mother admitted her one-year-old son was shaken to death by her lover after enduring months of abuse. Charlie Roberts suffered fatal brain damage after being attacked by Christopher Stockton, his stepfather, with such force that his brain moved inside his skull, causing “irreparable damage.”
During a hearing at the Teesside Crown Court, jurors were told that Stockton, who was alone with Charlie at the time of the fatal incident, had abused the child repeatedly over a period of seven months. Initially, the boy’s mother, Paula Roberts, 41, denied any charges of neglect.
However, midway through the hearing, Roberts broke down in court and pleaded guilty to the charges, admitting her failure to seek medical help for Charlie during December and January, when he suffered bruising to his genitals and ear.
Previous testimonies revealed that nurses had raised concerns about Charlie’s bruising, and social services were involved after the boy was rushed to the hospital with marks to his ear, eye, and head. Despite these warning signs, no action was taken. Roberts’ brother also noticed the bruising but believed his sister’s explanation that Charlie had been sleep-walking.
On January 12, before the tragic attack, Roberts left her “sleep-deprived” boyfriend, Stockton, to care for Charlie while she went to an eye appointment. Concerned about Stockton’s behavior, Roberts had installed a spy camera above her child’s bed.
It was shortly after she left that Stockton called 999, claiming Charlie had choked on a chocolate biscuit—despite no evidence of any blockage in his airways. In audio footage played in the courtroom, Stockton can be heard attempting to revive the lifeless child, saying, “Come on, Charlie” repeatedly in a disturbingly calm manner.
Many in the courtroom noted how incredibly calm Stockton sounded during the emergency call, leading a senior medic to initially believe it was a false alarm. Medical reports later revealed that Charlie’s injuries were so severe that he likely would have collapsed almost immediately.
Sadly, medics were unable to save Charlie, and he died the following day at the hospital. Upon examination, no underlying health conditions were found, leading medical professionals to conclude that the cause of death was the “application of severe force” that caused Charlie’s head to rotate or be thrown about. This tragic case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of abuse on innocent children.
