In 2024, the Offender Database reported that Carl Alesbrook, the Matlock Child Killer, convicted of murdering his girlfriend’s four-month-old infant by shaking him to death, had been sentenced to a minimum of 14 years in jail.
Elijah Shemwell passed away on 5 January 2022, three days after being discovered pale, lethargic, and drowsy at his mother’s residence in Belper, Derbyshire.
Carl Alesbrook, aged 16 at the time, was in a relationship with Elijah’s mother, India Shemwell, and was solely responsible for caring for the infant in her flat.
Carl Alesbrook, aged 19, refuted allegations of hurting Elijah but was found guilty following a trial at Derby Crown Court, receiving a life sentence with a minimum period of 14 years on Friday.
Carl Alesbrook, formerly residing at Upper Greenhill Gardens, Matlock, Derbyshire, encountered his former partner, Shemwell, in November 2021.
He once contested the accusation of murdering Elijah but was unanimously found guilty following a five-week trial in July.
The court determined that Carl Alesbrook inflicted whiplash injuries, cerebral haemorrhaging, and numerous bone fractures on Elijah.
A video recorded by India Shemwell on January 1, depicting her son unresponsive with a limp arm, was presented to the jury.
A further video saw him “gasping for breath” prior to India Shemwell contacting emergency services on the evening of January 2, after which he was transported by ambulance to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
Elijah succumbed to fatal brain injuries, termed in court as “catastrophic,” three days later, on January 5.
A jury was informed that Elijah sustained a brain injury due to being shaken.
During the trial, Carl Alesbrook refuted claims of being “unduly angered or irritated” by the infant; nonetheless, the court was informed that he transmitted an abusive Snapchat message to India Shemwell days before the baby’s hospitalisation.
He also refuted the assertion that a toothache prompted him to “lose his temper,” or that he harboured “jealousy” towards India Shemwell’s association with the baby’s father.
Mark Heywood KC, for Carl Alesbrook, stated that the defendant was “extremely young and quite immature” at the time of the charges; however, he possessed the potential to be “a very nurturing father figure”.
The court was informed that Carl Alesbrook cared for Elijah during his mother’s absences from home.
India Shemwell, aged 21 at the time and now 24, received a three-year prison sentence from the same court after pleading guilty to two counts of child cruelty in December of the previous year.
She wept in the dock as the films depicting Elijah as “lifeless” were presented to the court during the sentence hearing.
India Shemwell was characterised during her ex-partner’s trial as “a wholly deficient mother” who consistently and expressly failed to obtain timely medical care for her son.
Prosecutor Vanessa Marshall KC stated that India Shemwell “neglected to prioritise Elijah’s needs above her own” and should have recognised that Elijah was “provoking Mr Alesbrook’s patience.”
Darron Whitehead, India Shemwell’s defence attorney, stated: “She acknowledges that she has disappointed her son, herself, and her family.”
Her inaction and shortcomings would perpetually torment her throughout her life. She longs for Elijah, and regardless of the discourse or written expressions in this space, she cherishes her son.
A victim impact statement presented to the court by Rachel Shemwell, the mother of India Shemwell, indicated that her daughter was “not the best of mothers” and suggested that circumstances would have “unfolded differently” had she sought assistance.
She stated: “We will never reclaim Elijah and can only reminisce about the joy he brought us during his brief existence.”
Mr Justice Jeremy Baker stated, “The impact of Eli’s demise on his loved ones is apparent.” This court’s actions cannot alleviate their profound sense of loss.
Detective Chief Inspector Greg McGill, who spearheaded the investigation for Derbyshire Police, stated: “Even a teenager understands the lethal dangers associated with shaking a four-month-old infant.”
The force applied to compress his diminutive frame fractured his ribs, while the shaking inflicted substantial damage, resulting in his brain being deprived of oxygen and ultimately causing his demise.
“Although India was undeniably a negligent mother, she could not have anticipated the ruthless actions of Carl Alesbrook.”
“It is evident that she could and should have provided significantly better care for Elijah, and she will have to endure the repercussions of both her actions and inactions for the remainder of her life.”
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