Murder charge dropped against mum after baby death

Ms Langley faced trial in Preston Crown Court before the case against her was dropped

A mother accused of squeezing her baby to death has been cleared of murder.

Laura Langley, 38, was alleged to have killed seven-week-old daughter Edith who collapsed at the family home in Blackpool, Lancashire, in the early hours of 20 November 2020.

Efforts were made to revive Edith by paramedics and then in hospital before she was declared dead. Ms Langley was charged after it was discovered Edith had sustained 33 rib fractures.

She went on trial in October last year but the jury was discharged so expert evidence could be reviewed, before the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the case on Monday before the start of a scheduled retrial.

A CPS spokeswoman said: "Following a review of new, additional expert evidence, we have concluded there is no longer a reasonable prospect of securing a conviction.

"On that basis it was right for us to end the proceedings."

On the night of Edith's death, Ms Langley had called 999 after Edith stopped breathing and paramedics arrived within minutes to the address in Belgrave Road, Marton, and took over chest compressions.

Efforts to revive the baby continued at Blackpool Victoria Hospital but she was pronounced dead shortly after.

Prosecutors offered no evidence at Preston Crown Court after two leading experts in pathology and bone health said Edith's injuries were consistent with resuscitation methods used at the hospital, the Daily Mail reported.

The CPS spokeswoman said: "This is a deeply tragic case at the heart of which is the death of seven-week-old Edith."

She added: "In every case we keep the evidence under review throughout the criminal process and if new facts emerge we take these into consideration.

"We took the decision to prosecute this case based on expert evidence."