Baby Ollie Davis was murdered by his father, Michael Davis, who was sentenced to life for the horrific crime. Ollie suffered from over 20 broken ribs, a snapped neck, and a total of 40 bone fractures in the last 10 days of his life. His mother, Kayleigh Driver, was also jailed for seven years for causing or allowing her son’s death. The court heard horrifying details about the abuse Ollie suffered, with injuries only seen in victims of high-energy car crashes.
Ollie was found unresponsive in his cot on the morning of October 21, 2017, and despite being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead shortly after. The post-mortem revealed the extent of the cruelty he endured, with injuries including fractures to his skull, collarbone, joints in both arms and legs, and 23 rib fractures. His cause of death was determined to be a broken neck, causing him considerable pain. Michael Davis was convicted of causing all the injuries during separate episodes of violence, and the judge described the attacks as brutal and fatal.
The court heard that Michael Davis spent his evenings playing video games instead of taking care of his newborn son. He would come home from work, play PlayStation, and stay up late playing Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto, and Assassin’s Creed. His behavior showed a callous indifference to Ollie’s suffering. Kayleigh Driver’s pregnancy was unplanned, and Davis admitted he was not prepared for fatherhood. The detective inspector noted that Ollie, as a newborn, relied on his parents for love and protection, which he was horrifically denied.
Following the trial, a report from the Leicester Safeguarding Children Partnership Board stated that while the abuse Ollie suffered may not have been foreseeable, there are lessons to be learned from the case. The sentencing judge emphasized the culpability of both parents in Ollie’s tragic death, noting Driver’s awareness of Ollie’s suffering after being assaulted by Davis as they shared a bedroom. The court highlighted the extreme cruelty and violence inflicted upon Ollie by his own parents, shedding light on the horrifying details of his short life.
Michael Davis was sentenced to at least 22 years behind bars for murdering his son, while Kayleigh Driver received a seven-year sentence. The sheer brutality and negligence displayed by the parents towards their defenseless child shocked the court and the public. The tragic story of Baby Ollie Davis serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting vulnerable children from harm and holding those responsible for their abuse accountable. The case has sparked discussions about child protection measures and the need to prevent such heart-wrenching tragedies from occurring in the future.
