A mother has been found guilty of killing her three-month-old daughter after subjecting the infant to intense heat from a hairdryer while she was in her sole care. Courtney Gartshore, 28, was unanimously convicted of culpable homicide at the High Court in Aberdeen over the death of her daughter, Dahlia-Rose, in September 2023. The jury took just over an hour to return its verdict on the seventh day of the trial. Gartshore, who denied the charge throughout the proceedings, sobbed as she was led from the dock to the cells following the guilty verdict. She is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on August 14.
Baby suffered devastating burns
The court heard Dahlia-Rose sustained burns to 18 per cent of her body, including catastrophic injuries to her head and hand. Paramedics described the baby’s hand as being “dark grey or black”, with skin peeling away when they attended the scene. Prosecutors said Gartshore culpably and recklessly exposed her daughter to heat from a hairdryer, causing injuries so severe they resulted in the infant’s death. Forensic experts told jurors that Dahlia-Rose’s DNA was found on the nozzle of the hairdryer, which officers recovered from Gartshore’s bedroom.
Defence challenged cause of death
Consultant plastic surgeon Dr Timothy Burge, called by the defence, told the court he did not believe the heat injuries caused Dahlia-Rose’s death. He suggested the baby may already have died before the burns were inflicted and said she could have survived the injuries had she still been alive at the time. The prosecution rejected that account, arguing the evidence proved the burns were inflicted while the infant was alive and in her mother’s care.
Neighbour’s evidence
A neighbour told the jury she had seen Gartshore outside her home hours before the emergency call, shouting while pushing Dahlia-Rose in a pram. When she touched the baby’s face, she described her as being “frozen, pure white.” Jurors also heard the 999 call in which Gartshore told the operator she had woken to find her daughter “purple”, adding that her skin was “peeling off and everything.” She maintained the baby had been “perfectly fine” the previous day.
Investigation praised
Following the conviction, Detective Inspector James Callander described the investigation as one of the most distressing officers had dealt with. He thanked everyone involved in the inquiry and praised the local community for supporting detectives throughout the investigation. Gartshore was arrested in November 2023 following extensive police enquiries. She remains in custody and will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on August 14.
