Courtney Gartshore, 28, who was jailed for six years last month after being convicted of culpable homicide over the death of her three-month-old daughter Dahlia-Rose, has abandoned her appeal against both her conviction and sentence.
Gartshore subjected the baby to “significant and sustained heat” on her head and body in Peterhead on September 30, 2023. Emergency services were called to the family home in King Street in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, but the tot had already died.
Appeal dropped
The note of appeal was due next month, but the BBC reports that it has since been ditched. The move sparked fury among those close to Dahlia-Rose’s family, who have accused Gartshore of showing a “total lack of remorse”.
Speaking to the Sunday Mail, a source said: “The family have been beyond heartbroken by Dahlia-Rose’s death. Following what was a horrifically difficult trial, to now learn that the person responsible for her death wants her conviction and sentence overturned is just too much to bear. It just shows a total lack of remorse.”
Details of the case
Little Dahlia-Rose suffered extensive burns to the right side of her body, including her arm, chest, armpit, shoulder, face, scalp and brain. Before her death, Gartshore had been drinking and arrived home at about 4am. She made a 999 call claiming she had awoken that morning to find Dahlia-Rose dead in their home.
The court heard she told the operator: “I just woke up and her head is all purple.” The operator asked if Dahlia-Rose was “beyond help”, to which Gartshore replied: “Yeah.” Material containing Dahlia-Rose’s DNA was found on the nozzle of a hairdryer.
Family seeking answers
Aberdeenshire Council has since faced pressure to investigate alleged missed opportunities in the care of the baby. Sources earlier revealed that Dahlia-Rose’s family “want answers” and had requested meetings with social work chiefs at the council to ask why concerning incidents were allegedly ignored on more than one occasion. Dahlia-Rose is believed to have died from hyperthermia and heatstroke.
