A 28-year-old woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for killing her four-month-old daughter by violently shaking her. Melissa Wilband was found guilty of the manslaughter of Lexi, who collapsed at the family home in Newent, Gloucestershire, during the first Covid lockdown.
Tests revealed that Lexi suffered bleeding on the brain, which was likely caused by being violently shaken shortly before her collapse and on at least one earlier occasion. The court heard that Wilband had become pregnant with Lexi while separated from her then-partner, Jack Wheeler, and attempted to deceive him into believing he was the father by presenting a fake paternity test.
Passing sentence at Bristol Crown Court, Mr Justice Saini said he was satisfied that Wilband had shaken Lexi on two occasions. He stated: 'After the evening meal you were bathing Lexi and you shook Lexi, and immediately after this she went floppy. Your shaking of Lexi led to severe bleeding in her brain.' The judge added that only Wilband knew why she acted as she did, and described the pain Lexi must have suffered.
Wheeler, 31, had also been accused of manslaughter but the charge was dropped during the trial. The jury found him not guilty of causing or allowing Lexi's death in April 2020. In court, Wilband admitted faking the DNA test, telling the jury: 'I wanted him to be Lexi's dad.'
Lexi died at Bristol Children's Hospital on 18 April, six days after she collapsed. The court heard that Wilband was aware her baby might die through the night but did not stay at her bedside.
