Constance Marten, an aristocrat with access to a trust fund, and her partner Mark Gordon have been convicted of manslaughter following the death of their baby daughter Victoria. The infant died while the family was living in a tent on the South Downs in winter, with insufficient clothing and supplies.
The couple had the means to provide for Victoria, spending thousands on taxis, hotels, and holiday lets before resorting to the tent. However, they avoided staying more than three days in any council area to prevent local authorities from gaining jurisdiction over their daughter. Marten and Gordon feared that social services would take Victoria into care, as four of their other children had been removed due to concerns over their parenting.
In November 2019, Marten suffered a shattered spleen while 14 weeks pregnant. Gordon initially refused paramedics entry to treat her, and she later attempted to discharge herself with his support. A family court judge ruled that the couple had deliberately evaded authorities and that their antenatal and postnatal care for three children fell below reasonable standards.
The jury found that Marten and Gordon's decision to keep Victoria with them rather than seek help amounted to gross negligence, costing the baby her life. Marten, 36, is the daughter of Napier Marten, who inherited a £115m estate but gave it up in 1996. She attended a £30,000-a-year school and studied at the University of Leeds before dropping out in 2016.
