Glasgow Jury Convicts Mother of Killing 19-Day-Old Daughter

A jury at the High Court in Glasgow has convicted Nicole Blain, 30, of murdering her 19-day-old daughter, Thea June Wilson, at her flat in Greenock, Inverclyde, on July 14, 2023.

Thea, born on June 25, 2023, and described in court as a "perfect" baby, suffered catastrophic injuries including three skull fractures, brain damage, bleeding behind the eyes, rib fractures consistent with chest compression, and neck trauma. Pathologist Leighanne Deboys testified that the injuries resulted from a combination of violent shaking and repeated impacts against a hard surface, such as a floor, wall or furniture. She ruled out the possibility that they could have been caused by the other child present in the flat dropping the infant.

Prosecutors, led by Alan Cameron KC, described Blain's account as "nonsense." Blain claimed she had napped with Thea asleep in her crib, awoke to a knock at the door from a neighbor, and found the naked baby on the floor with a bump on her head. She initially told others, including the baby's paternal grandmother Laura Wilson and social worker Stacey Jones, that another child staying with her was responsible.

That afternoon, around 2 p.m., Blain called the phone...