Courtney Gartshore, 28, has been jailed for six years after killing her infant daughter with a hairdryer. The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Friday (August 14) that Gartshore caused fatal injuries to three-month-old Dahlia-Rose Gartshore's body by subjecting her to sustained heat from the appliance.
Incident and Conviction
Emergency services were called on September 30, 2023, to a property in King Street in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, where Dahlia-Rose was pronounced dead at the scene. Gartshore had been in sole charge of the infant and had earlier been drinking.
Gartshore was arrested and charged over the death in November 2023. She was convicted of the culpable homicide of her daughter following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen in July.
Court Proceedings
Jailing Gartshore, the judge, Simon Collins KC, called it a “uniquely disturbing” case. He said: “It is tragic as well as terrible. You will have to live the rest of your life with the knowledge that you were responsible for her death. This was a gross breach of the most basic duty as a parent.”
The court heard that Gartshore used the hairdryer on Dahlia-Rose for up to an hour, resulting in burns to approximately 18 per cent of her body surface – particularly to her head, neck, upper body and one of her arms. Judge Collins said Gartshore was culpable in the “highest degree” of carelessness, despite not intending to harm her baby. He told her that it “should have been obvious” that Dahlia Rose was in “severe distress and pain”. Dahlia Rose's likely cause of death was hyperthermia and heat stroke.
Defence and Police Reaction
Gartshore’s defence lawyer Murray Macara called it a “truly tragic and distressing case”. Since she was taken into custody, Mr Macara said Gartshore has spent approximately 23 hours a day in her cell, which he said is to ensure her own safety and protection. He said Gartshore has a history of childhood trauma, mental health problems, overdoses and self-harm, but argued that she had provided appropriate care to her baby up until the night of her death. Gartshore maintained that she has no recollection of using the hair dryer on her baby.
Mr Macara said that he could not provide a reasonable or compelling explanation for why Gartshore used the hairdryer on her baby, but he speculated that it was “culpably and recklessly” used as a source of heat. He speculated that the baby was cold and that Gartshore may have attempted to “recklessly” use the hairdryer as a source of heat.
Following her conviction, Detective Inspector James Callander at Police Scotland said: “Children are defenceless and should be protected. The death of any child is particularly harrowing, but a child’s death at the hands of a parent is incredibly disturbing. Everyone involved in this investigation was deeply affected by the circumstances of Dahlia-Rose’s death, but our job is to uncover the truth and ensure that the person responsible is brought to justice. I would like to express sincere thanks to everyone who supported what was an incredibly difficult and sensitive inquiry. The unwavering commitment and professionalism shown by our officers and partner agencies who worked tirelessly to ensure this complex inquiry was conducted thoroughly and with the utmost care, dignity, and respect. I also want to acknowledge the local community, for their patience, understanding and support throughout this investigation, particularly those who came forward with information, whose cooperation has been invaluable in helping us establish the truth and secure this conviction.”
