**Mother Sentenced to 15 Years for Shaking Her Four-Month-Old Daughter to Death in Gloucestershire**
A woman from Gloucestershire has received a 15-year prison sentence after being found guilty of killing her four-month-old daughter by brutally shaking her. Melissa Wilband, aged 28, was convicted of manslaughter following the tragic death of baby Lexi Wilband, who died in hospital just days after being admitted with severe injuries in April 2020.
During proceedings at Bristol Crown Court, jurors heard devastating details of the infant’s final days. Lexi, described as a healthy baby prior to the incident, collapsed at her family home in Newent. A series of medical examinations revealed that the baby had suffered catastrophic bleeding to her brain. The injuries were described as being consistent with violent shaking, not only at the time of her collapse but also suggesting an earlier incident of similar abuse.
Mr Justice Saini, passing sentence, reflected on the deep suffering inflicted on Lexi, noting that she was subject to two episodes of shaking. He stated: “Lexi was only four months old when her life was cruelly cut short. The violence she endured caused severe pain and, ultimately, her tragic death. It is difficult to fathom the agony Lexi must have experienced, both from the final assault and from previous harm.”
This incident unfolded in the midst of the UK’s first national lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, adding complexity to the circumstances in which support and interventions might otherwise have occurred. Wilband’s actions, committed just after bathing Lexi one evening, resulted in the baby becoming unresponsive. Despite emergency efforts, Lexi died at Bristol Children’s Hospital on 18 April 2020, six days after she initially collapsed. A nurse remained at her bedside, holding her hand as she passed.
Wilband’s former partner, Jack Wheeler, 31, was also investigated in connection with the death. Initially charged with manslaughter, Wheeler was acquitted after the prosecution presented no evidence against him. It emerged that although Wheeler believed he was Lexi’s biological father, this was based on a fake DNA certificate provided by Wilband before the child’s birth. A subsequent legitimate test after Lexi was born revealed otherwise, yet Wheeler chose to help raise Lexi as his own.
Exploring the wider context of Wilband’s personal circumstances, the court heard about her drug use in the days following Lexi’s birth and the turbulent relationship she maintained with Wheeler. On 12 April 2020, Wilband contacted NHS 111, reporting that Lexi had stopped breathing while in her bouncer chair. Despite being queried about holding Lexi before hospital intubation, Wilband declined, which contributed to the prosecution’s picture of neglect and detachment.
In hospital, Wilband told doctors that Wheeler had been involved in swinging Lexi in her bouncer, but Wheeler denied these claims and said he had no explanation for Lexi’s collapse. The devastating decisions continued as, following Lexi’s declining condition and critical MRI results, medical staff switched off her life support. Notably, Wilband chose to leave her daughter’s side to sleep in another part of the hospital as Lexi’s life ebbed away.
Prosecuting barrister Jane Osborne KC, highlighted Wilband’s lack of presence at Lexi’s bedside in her final hours: “While staff worked to comfort Lexi, her mother was absent during her daughter’s last moments.” Osborne outlined the post-mortem findings, which confirmed Lexi’s cause of death as brain bleeding consistent with severe shaking. Bleeding in Lexi’s eyes was noted to be “too numerous to count”.
During the trial, Wilband denied the accusations, insisting a physical ailment with her wrist made shaking the baby impossible. She also attempted to lay blame on her partner. However, the jury was not persuaded by her defence, and the evidence against her was overwhelming.
This tragic case has highlighted the enduring impact of violence against infants and the serious consequences for perpetrators. For the wider community, it is another sombre reminder of the critical role vigilance and early intervention play in safeguarding vulnerable children. As families and professionals reflect on Lexi’s story, the case prompts renewed calls for stronger protections and support for the youngest in society.