The mother who filmed her three-year-old autistic stepson dying from a head injury is visited by the boy’s father in jail
- Leila Borrington, 23, has had “regular visits” from her fiancé and his daughter.
- She was jailed for 15 years last week for killing her three-year-old stepson Harvey in 2021.
A mother who slapped her stepson to death “multiple times” and filmed him dying from a brain injury has been visited in prison by the boy’s father and daughter.
Leila Borrington, 23, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday for the manslaughter of Harvey Borrington, a three-year-old autistic boy who died in hospital in August 2021.
But Borrington has enjoyed “regular” visits at HMP Foston Hall, Derbyshire, from her fiance Jonathan Borrington and their three-year-old daughter, according to the sunday mirror.
Relatives also said the couple still plans to marry and that the family believes Harvey’s death was a tragic accident.
The boy’s grandfather, Keith Borrington, of Nottingham, said: “He has been visiting her and they have a daughter together.”
Leila Borrington (pictured), 23, was sentenced to 15 years in prison this week for the manslaughter of Harvey Borrington, a three-year-old autistic boy who died in hospital in August 2021.
Relatives said the couple still plans to marry and the family believes Harvey’s (pictured) death was accidental.
‘Leila is her mother. She had an engagement ring and they were very happy and planning her wedding. So none of this makes sense.
Borrington said the family believed Harvey’s death was accidental, according to Borrington’s evidence presented at Nottingham Crown Court.
He added that the family was still “in shock” over Harvey’s death, but they just had to “deal with it.”
The Nottingham Crown Court heard that Borrington lied about what had happened to Harvey when paramedics were called to his home in Jacksdale, Nottinghamshire, in August 2021.
He claimed that Harvey “fell backwards” from a leather loveseat at his home and injured himself when paramedics asked him what had happened.
But the court heard that Borrington had inflicted ‘irresistible’ injuries on Harvey, including a fractured skull, and sent a text message to Mr Borrington that read ‘Why is this happening to me?’ after inflicting wounds.
Paramedics found Harvey ‘deeply unconscious’, ‘unresponsive’ and with ‘abnormal body posture’.
The court also heard that Borrington had attacked Harvey twice in the four months before his death, leaving him with a broken arm and marks on his face.
Borrington claimed that her broken arm occurred when she was “trying to stop him from falling down the stairs.”
Judge Nicklin, who sentenced Borrington last Thursday, said: “You were 21 when you committed the first offense and 22 when you assaulted and killed Harvey.”
“During the trial, we saw video footage of Harvey playing with his toys and putting items in the dishwasher.
“In less than 30 minutes, more video footage showed Harvey unconscious on the living room floor. Precisely what happened to Harvey only you know.