Published: 16:17, 3 May 2016 | Updated: 23:55, 3 May 2016

A 'barbaric' mother-of-four who tried to blame her teenage son for the death of a toddler she was fostering was today found guilty of murdering the little girl.

Kandyce Downer, 35, from Weoley Castle, Birmingham, killed 18-month-old Keegan Downer just months after she was made the little girl's legal guardian.

She had beaten the toddler, also known as Shi-Anne, with such force over a number of weeks that the youngster had suffered broken legs and ribs as well as severe head and spine injuries.

Tragic Keegan had collapsed at the family home on September 5 last year and after her death was found to have suffered more than 200 separate injuries - including seven broken ribs. She also had 153 scars on her body, including her face and neck.

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Copy link to paste in your message +10 Mother-of-four Kandyce Downer,who tried to blame her teenage son for the death 18-month-old Keegan Downer, the toddler she was fostering, was today found guilty of murdering the little girl

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Copy link to paste in your message +10 ‘Barbaric’: Downer with baby Keegan. The infant had more than 200 separate injuries - including seven broken ribs and broken legs. She also had 153 scars on her body, including her face and neck.

Downer had been appointed Keegan's guardian in January 2015 with the blessing of social services, following a formal court hearing.

The little girl's birth mother had been a drug addict, and she was put into foster care shortly after her birth on March 9, 2014. Downer, the ex-wife of a cousin of Keegan's biological father, was paid a weekly fee by the local authority to care for the girl.

But in June 2015, six months after Keegan was put in Downer's care the systematic abuse began.

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Copy link to paste in your message +10 The abuse of Keegan began six months after she was put in Downer's care

During the trial the jury at Birmingham Crown Court was told that after finding the little girl 'unwell' in her cot, Downer delayed calling 999 and instead got in her car to dump the child's old blood-spotted mattress near a skip.

She even told the murder jury that her eldest son, then aged 17, may have been the culprit because he was responsible, along with her three other children, for much of the 'day-to-day care' of little Keegan because she was tired with a pregnancy and medication for high blood pressure.

Taking to the stand in the trial, which began in April, she was asked by prosecutor Nigel Power QC: 'Who's the prime candidate amongst them?'

A tearful Downer replied: 'My eldest.'

Downer, who was a full-time business student with four other children of her own, had denied murdering the toddler, but had admitted leaving Keegan alone in the youngster's bedroom to take her natural daughter out on the day of the toddler's death.

Keegan was found unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital but was pronounced dead on her arrival.

Keegan died from septicaemia, blunt chest trauma, an old head injury and a bacterial infection.

The court heard Downer never sought medical help for Keegan, who weighed 17.7lbs, little more than one stone, at the time of her death and a post-mortem showed signs of 'developmental regression', the court was told.

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Copy link to paste in your message +10 SHARE PICTURE









Copy link to paste in your message +10 Downer had been appointed Keegan's guardian in January 2015 with the blessing of social services, following a formal court hearing

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Copy link to paste in your message +10 During the trial the jury at Birmingham Crown Court was told that after finding the little girl 'unwell' in her cot, Downer delayed calling 999 and instead got in her car to dump the child's old blood-spotted mattress near a skip

Toddler Keegan Downer seen playing before tragic death v f Loaded : 0% Progress : 0% w 00:00 f Play LIVE d Mute w 00:00 Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 0:00 t Fullscreen g Need Text Video Quality j n l m k i Foreground --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Opaque Background --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Default Monospace Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Sans-Serif Casual Script Small Caps Defaults Done Laura Hillier performing before her tragic death Tragic death of toddler after tree comes down in storm Tragic death of toddler who swallowed a 'button' battery Fans: 'Tragic Kaiser accident like nothing we'd seen before' CCTV shows toddler minutes before her death CCTV video of the final moments before Hanlon's tragic death IchorCoal in action before tragic death of Andrew Ashman Missing girl Isabella Watter seen playing before disappearance 14-year-old Antonio with his family before his tragic death Merv Hughes discusses Phillip Hughes' tragic death Byron Bay locals reject shark nets despite tragic death Police speak about tragic death at Adelaide Royal Show Aftermath of tragic death of Miss Honduras, Maria Jose Alvarado

The autopsy also revealed Keegan had suffered a catalogue of more than 150 separate injuries, both old and new, across her body.

Keegan also had an untreated spiral leg fracture, leaving the youngster with one leg shorter than the other, and had suffered a traumatic head or spine injury, which was at least several days old.

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Copy link to paste in your message +10 Downer, (pictured) who was a full-time business student with four other children of her own, had denied murdering the toddler

During the trial, the court heard that a medical professional described Keegan's facial injuries as the worst he had ever seen, while pathologists said her bones had been subjected to the sort of force usually experienced in a car crash.

Mr Power told jurors Keegan would have been 'crying and possibly screaming' due to excruciating pain from the leg fracture, making it inconceivable that someone looking after her would have been unaware of the injury.

He also told the jury Keegan was last seen by a health visitor five months before her death and an expert reported the youngster seemed fine.

Downer had denied murder and causing or allowing the death of a child, but was found guilty today after three hours of deliberations by the jury.

After the case, Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from West Midlands Police, said: 'We believe the abuse started when her relationship began to go wrong.

'This was an extremely disturbing and harrowing case to investigate. What Downer subjected Keegan to was barbaric, inhuman and evil.

'The death of one so young is always tragic but it is horrifying to think of the amount of violence and suffering this young child must have endured in the last few months of her short life in the hands of someone she should have been able to trust.

'I am also astounded by the lack of emotion shown by Downer throughout this investigation.

'She has not shown a shred of remorse or sorrow.

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Copy link to paste in your message +10 Keegan was found unconscious in her cot after suffering a cardiac arrest at the family home (pictured)

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Copy link to paste in your message +10 She was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital (pictured but was later pronounced dead

'When she finally gave an explanation in the witness box, she even tried to blame Keegan's injuries on her other children, which I find inconceivable and unbelievable.

'I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT': DETECTIVE SLAMS 'DOWNRIGHT EVIL' DOWNER FOR DEATH OF TOT Detective Inspector Harry Harrison, from West Midlands Police described the case as the worst he had seen in his 26 year career in the police force. He added: 'When she [Downer] was originally in custody and we were trying to assess how the injuries were sustained she answered no comment. 'She gave no comment in all 10 of her interviews. 'Through her lawyer she did provide a pre-prepared comment saying she was Keegan's full-time carer and she did not know how the injuries were sustained. 'This evidence completely changed during the course of the trial, where she claimed she was not responsible for her injuries and tried to infer it was her other children. 'There were over 200 injuries to Keegan, some of which were more severe than others and some of which we were told alone could have been life threatening. 'I am still trying to comprehend what she did and why she did it. I will never understand it. 'It preys on my mind that the last few months of Keegan's life she must have been in substantial pain. 'Her actions were completely barbaric, inhuman and downright evil. 'Due to Kandyce's lifestyle there was not much opportunity for outsiders to have access to Keegan. She was hidden. 'Any child death is deeply upsetting for everyone concerned, but this is without doubt the most violent and extreme case that I have been part of in my 26 years as a policeman. 'When she tried to blame her children I was stuck for words. It was inconceivable. 'Keegan had a hard start in life and I hope she can now rest in peace and we have provided justice in the result we have achieved.' .

'Throughout Downer has shown she is cunning and devious, even disposing of Keegan's mattress and bedding and buying new bedding shortly before her death.

'Whilst we have today seen justice done, it does not change the tragic fact that an innocent child has lost her life in heart-breaking circumstances.

'I want to thank everyone who has worked hard to find justice for Keegan, including the investigation team and all those who have provided vital evidence to this harrowing inquiry.'

A serious case review is underway to see whether Keegan's death could have been prevented.

Chair of the multi-agency Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board, Penny Thompson CBE, said: 'On behalf of all the agencies who sit on the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board I would like to express our deepest sympathy to Shi-Anne's birth family and to those who knew and loved her.

'Following Shi-Anne's tragic death, the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board set up an independent inquiry to establish what lessons could be learned by the agencies involved in this sad case.

'Now that the criminal trial has ended the Serious Case Review can be completed, reflecting on information disclosed during the trial.

'The Serious Case Review report findings will be published in the summer.'

Speaking after the verdict, an NSPCC spokesman said: 'No child should have to suffer the horrific abuse that Keegan went through during her short life.

'It defies belief this abuse could happen at the hands of a woman who was entrusted with bringing up Keegan.

'Having already been placed in foster care as a baby, Keegan’s legal guardian should have given her a stable and loving family life to grow up in. But instead she killed this defenceless little girl by subjecting her to the most brutal violence.

'This is the latest in a series of tragic cases of very young children killed by their parent or guardian.