A young mother has been found guilty of manslaughter after her six-month-old son died when he was thrown from a car because he was not properly strapped into his seat. Morgan Kiely, now 22, was convicted by a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on July 13, 2022, in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Kiely had been drinking on the beach with a friend, Stevie Steel, who was driving the car. As Steel drove away, the car rolled over and ended on its roof, ejecting baby Harry through an open window. He suffered a catastrophic skull fracture and died later that evening.
The court heard that Kiely had failed to ensure Harry was secured in his car seat. An expert witness testified it was “highly likely” the straps had not been fastened. Judge Robert Jay told Kiely that “Harry’s safety was your responsibility” and that she should have refused to travel with a drunk driver.
Kiely received a two-year suspended prison sentence. The judge acknowledged that she had otherwise been a good mother, describing her negligence as a “singleton failure”. Steel had previously pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the alcohol limit.
Kiely, who now has a four-month-old baby, did not testify during the trial. Her defence barrister described her as a “devoted and loving mother” who made a “dreadful error”. The jury deliberated for around five hours before reaching their verdict.
