Watch: Weather for the West Midlandspublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Sara Blizzard
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Dry during the day. Highs of 16C (61F).
Find out what we can expect later in the week.
The weather for the West Midlands.
Summary
Woman jailed for toddler's 'brutal murder'
Government denies its response has been slow to 684 British Gas job losses
Third D'Oliveira scores a century for Worcestershire
Updates for Wednesday 4 May 2016
Watch: Weather for the West Midlandspublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Media caption, Teenager hit by coach near Tamworthpublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
A teenager has been airlifted to hospital after suffering serious leg injuries after a coach ran over his leg outside Kingsbury School in Tamworth Road, in Kingsbury.
West Midlands Ambulance Service said the boy had just arrived at school by coach before he "suffered serious traumatic injuries to his right foot and leg".
The driver was "very shaken but uninjured", said the service.
'Wrong' to make killer Kandyce Downer a guardianpublished at 13:26 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
"It was wrong."
That was the verdict of Keegan Downer's grandmother on the appointment of Kandyce, who went onto kill the toddler, as her guardian.
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End of twitter postLatest: Toddler's murderer jailed; British Gas jobs; Teenager's leg run over by coachpublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Alex Homer
BBC Local LiveHere is a recap of the stories we have been covering so far on Wednesday:
- A Birmingham woman who murdered a toddler has been jailed for life with a minimum of 18 years
- The government has denied it has been slow to act, after 684 job losses were announced by British Gas in Oldbury
- A 13-year-old boy has been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after a coach ran over his leg outside a school
Keegan Downer: Authorities will publish a serious case review in summerpublished at 12:52 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Kandyce Downer, who must serve at least 18 years, told Birmingham Crown Court her eldest son had caused the injuries to toddler Keegan.
Keegan died on 5 September 2015. Before calling 999, Downer dumped her blood-spotted mattress, the court heard.
Birmingham Safeguarding Children's Board will conduct a serious case review to look at the role played by a number of agencies, including Birmingham Social Services.
Image source, West Midlands PoliceThe jury heard the service supported Downer's application to become Keegan's legal guardian.
It will publish its findings in summer.
NSPCC: Lessons must be learnt from Keegan Downer tragedypublished at 12:52 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
The NSPCC said investigations needed to be carried out into why Kandyce Downer was made guardian of Keegan.
A spokesman said: “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.”
How Kandyce Downer became a 'brutal attacker is a mystery'published at 12:34 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
A post-mortem examination revealed toddler Keegan Downer died from a combination of old head injuries, septicaemia and blunt chest trauma but had suffered a catalogue of injuries in her short life.
Sentencing Downer to life with a minimum term of 18 years, Mrs Justice Frances Patterson said: "It is a horrible tale of callous conduct and at no stage have you showed any remorse.
"Why you changed from a loving mother to a brutal attacker of a defenceless child is a mystery."
NSPCC: Keegan Downer did not deserve to be treated "so abhorrently"published at 12:16 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
The NSPCC said it hopes today's sentence for Kandyce Downer would "serve as a warning to deter others who would subject children in their care to such astonishing cruelty".
A spokesman said "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."
Child had more than 150 scars and bruises on bodypublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Phil Mackie
Midlands correspondent, BBC NewsKandyce Downer, a 34-year-old mother of four, was granted guardianship of 18-month-old Keegan by Birmingham social services nine months before she died.
At the time of her death she had 153 scars and bruises, had suffered multiple fractures, and brain injuries.
At Birmingham Crown Court this morning Mrs Justice Patterson said it was a "horrific tale" and Keegan had been subjected to a "series of brutal assaults".
As she was being sentenced Kandyce Downer stood with her head bowed.
Guardian sentenced to life for Keegan Downer's murderpublished at 11:49 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Breaking
Amy Cole
BBC Midlands TodayKandyce Downer has been given a life sentence for the murder of 18-month-old Keegan Downer.
She will serve a minimum of 18 years, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
Obesity-related hospital admissions soaring in the Black Country and Staffordshirepublished at 11:31 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
The number of hospital admissions due to obesity in the Black Country and Staffordshire has increased by more than 30%, new figures show, external.
Elderly woman victim of 'distraction theft'published at 11:11 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
A 90-year-old woman was a victim of an alleged distraction theft involving four men who swapped her bank card at a cashpoint in Cannock.
The victim entered the Natwest Bank, at Market Place, last Friday at 10:15 and was followed by four men - all described as eastern European in appearance, Staffordshire Police said.
Officers said two men acted as lookouts, while another of the men tapped the female on the arm to distract her, while a fourth man, having seen the woman enter her PIN, swapped her card for a second card.
Police want to speak to the four men pictured.
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceSpeedway: Wolves and Brummies on BBC WM laterpublished at 10:51 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Steve Hermon
Journalist, BBC WMWe've got a Speedway double header on BBC WM digital radio tonight.
The Elite League leaders Wolves are at Poole. While in the National League, the Birmingham Brummies take on Kent.
Coverage starts at 19:00.
Campaign to mark birthday of Walsall youngster with heart condition launchedpublished at 10:23 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
A heart-warming campaign to make the birthday of a brave Walsall youngster, external, born with a heart condition, extra special, has been launched.
Image source, Walsall AdvertiserFootball: Evans named Albion fans' player of the yearpublished at 10:05 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Steve Hermon
Journalist, BBC WMJonny Evans has been named the Player of the Year by the West Bromwich Albion Supporters Club at their annual awards.
He is pictured scoring a stoppage-time winner against Stoke City in January.
Image source, Getty ImagesPolice officer who prompted bogus IS kidnap alert told to expect long jail termpublished at 09:46 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
A West Midlands police officer who sparked a major terror alert through a hoax 999 call has been told to expect a substantial prison term.
Amar Tasaddiq Hussain claimed a fellow officer was going to be kidnapped by a radical Muslim with links to so-called Islamic State.
The 29-year-old was found guilty of two counts of perverting the course of justice, along with civilians Adil Bashir, 26, and Muhammad Ali Sheikh, 31.
They are due to be sentenced on 27 May.
Government denies it has been slow to act after British Gas job losses announced in Oldburypublished at 09:21 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Louise Hancock
Newsreader, BBC WMThe government's denying it has been slow to act, after British Gas announced plans to close its Oldbury site with the loss of more than 680 jobs.
In the Commons, a question from Labour MP for Warley John Spellar led David Cameron to promise a ministerial taskforce to help those affected, but it has not appeared yet.
In response, the Business Secretary and Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid said the government was doing all it could.
Image source, PACounty Championship: third D'Oliveira to hit a century for Worcestershirepublished at 09:10 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
BBC SportBrett D'Oliveira became the third generation of the same family to hit a century for Worcestershire, inside the afternoon session against Essex.
Following in the footsteps of Basil, his grandfather, and father Damian, D'Oliveira made 128, sharing an opening stand of 179 with Daryl Mitchell (66).
Latest: Murderer to be sentenced; British Gas job losses latest; D'Oliveira's cricket legacypublished at 08:52 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
Alex Homer
BBC Local LiveHere are the top stories on Wednesday so far:
- A Birmingham woman who murdered a toddler is due to be sentenced later
- The government has denied it has been slow to act, after 684 job losses were announced by British Gas in Oldbury
- Brett D'Oliveira became the third generation of the same family to hit a century for Worcestershire yesterday
Legal guardian Kandyce Downer guilty of toddler's murderpublished at 08:32 British Summer Time 4 May 2016
A woman has been convicted of murdering a toddler who had suffered more than 150 injuries.
Kandyce Downer, 34, killed 18-month-old Keegan Downer, less than a year after she was appointed her legal guardian.
Keegan was subjected to what police described as "barbaric and evil" treatment, suffering brain and spinal injuries and had 153 scars and bruises.
Image source, West Midlands Police
