In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Kyle Campbell, then 26, and Kayleigh Siswick, then 26, were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court, West Yorkshire, following the death of three-year-old Riley Siswick. On Thursday, 13 June 2019, Campbell was handed a life sentence for murder, while Siswick was jailed for seven years for failing to protect her son and allowing his death.
The investigation established that in February 2016, while at home in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, Campbell inflicted a catastrophic injury to Riley’s abdomen. The blow was so severe it severed the toddler’s bowel, leading to peritonitis and hypovolemic shock. Despite the child being in a state of medical emergency for two days, sleeping in blood-soaked sheets and deteriorating into septic shock, neither defendant sought medical help. Kayleigh Siswick was found to have prioritised her relationship with Campbell over the life of her son, failing to raise the alarm despite the obvious nature of Riley’s extreme pain.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Riley’s final hours were spent in a room that “stank of urine and faeces.” Leeds Crown Court heard from Robert Smith QC, who described the boy’s bedroom as a scene of neglect. Medical evidence confirmed that the injury was caused by a deliberate act—either a fist, a stamp, or a strike with a heavy object—which caused the bowel to spill its contents internally. The prosecution proved that Siswick was aware of Campbell’s previous history of hurting the boy, but chose to “protect” him rather than taking Riley to a hospital.
The judge noted that Riley’s suffering was “almost beyond belief.” For his actions in Huddersfield, Campbell was found guilty of murder and child cruelty. For her role, Siswick was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child. The judge noted that Siswick’s initial claims to paramedics—asking “why didn’t I check on him”—were part of a deceptive effort to conceal the abuse and the timeline of Riley’s death.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For their crimes in England, the defendants were handed:
- Kyle Campbell (Huddersfield, West Yorkshire): Life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years.
- Kayleigh Siswick (Huddersfield, West Yorkshire): Seven years in prison.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Leeds Crown Court following a six-week trial.
- Charges: Murder, child cruelty (Campbell); causing or allowing the death of a child (Siswick).
Monitoring and Public Protection
Campbell is managed within the high-security prison estate and will be subject to lifelong licence conditions if ever released. Siswick is managed by the Probation Service and West Yorkshire Police. Due to the horrific nature of the neglect and violence in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, both individuals are subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As part of their convictions, both will be restricted from any future unsupervised contact with children. Authorities state that Siswick’s failure to act as a protective mother remains a central factor in her risk assessment. Any breach of licence terms upon release will result in immediate arrest and a return to Leeds Crown Court.
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