Mum who killed baby daughter with hairdryer jailed for six years

WARNING: This article contains details some readers may find distressing

A mum has been sentenced to six years in prison for killing her three-month-old daughter with heat from a hairdryer.

Courtney Gartshore, 28, was jailed at the High Court in Edinburgh on Friday after being convicted of the culpable homicide of her daughter last month.

She used the appliance to subject Dahlia-Rose Gartshore to “significant and sustained heat” on the head and body, fatally injuring her at an address on King Street in Peterhead on September 30, 2023.

Dahlia-Rose’s injuries were so severe that she died.
Supplied

False claims during 999 call

Gartshore had made a 999 call, where she claimed that she had woken up that morning to find her daughter, Dahlia-Rose, dead in their home.

Gartshore told the operator: “I just woke up and her head is all purple.”

The operator asked if Dahila-Rose is “beyond help”, to which Gartshore replied “yeah”.

Gartshore went on to tell the operator, “…her skin is peeling off and everything.”

The mum told the operator that the baby had been “perfectly fine” the day before.

Shona Helm, who was one of the first paramedics on the scene, described finding the baby as “distressing”.

She told the court Dahlia-Rose’s hand was “dark grey or black” and “all the skin was peeling off”.

The court had heard from a nearby neighbour who had described hearing Gartshore, with Dahlia-Rose in a pram, shouting near her home in Peterhead hours before the emergency call was made.

The woman told the court she and another neighbour went out to see Gartshore.

She said when she touched Dahlia-Rose’s face and noticed she was “frozen, pure white” and said she had told Gartshore her daughter needed a blanket.

The court also heard that material containing DNA belonging to the baby was found on the nozzle of a hairdryer.

‘Incredibly disturbing’

Dahlia-Rose was pronounced dead at the scene when emergency services attended the property.

Gartshore had earlier been drinking while she had been in sole charge of the infant. The hairdryer was found in the bedroom of the Gartshores’ home following the baby’s death.

An investigation into the child’s death was launched and Gartshore, from Aberdeen, was arrested and charged in November 2023.

The 28-year-old had denied culpable homicide but was found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen in July of causing the child to be subjected to significant and sustained heat on her head and body from the hairdryer.

Following Gartshore’s conviction detective inspector James Callander described the case as “incredibly disturbing”.

“Children are defenceless and should be protected,” the officer said.

“The death of any child is particularly harrowing, but a child’s death at the hands of a parent is incredibly disturbing.

“Everyone involved in this investigation was deeply affected by the circumstances of Dahlia-Rose’s death, but our job is to uncover the truth and ensure that the person responsible is brought to justice.

“I would like to express sincere thanks to everyone who supported what was an incredibly difficult and sensitive inquiry.

“The unwavering commitment and professionalism shown by our officers and partner agencies who worked tirelessly to ensure this complex enquiry was conducted thoroughly and with the utmost care, dignity, and respect.

“I also want to acknowledge the local community, for their patience, understanding and support throughout this investigation, particularly those who came forward with information, whose cooperation has been invaluable in helping us establish the truth and secure this conviction.”