Laura Langley: Mother accused of squeezing seven-week-old baby Edith to death learns fate in court

A mother accused of squeezing her baby to death was on Monday found not guilty of murder after it emerged medics probably caused the injuries. Laura Langley, 38, was accused of killing her seven-week-old daughter Edith after she stopped breathing at their home.

The tot was rushed to hospital at around 4am on November 20, 2020, but was pronounced dead 40 minutes later.

Ms Langley, of Blackpool, was charged with murder after Edith was found to have 33 fractures to her ribs.

Her four-year ordeal ended when she was told there was no case to answer after experts said she was unlikely to have caused the injuries.

Prosecutors offered no evidence after two leading experts in pathology and bone health said Edith’s injuries were consistent with resuscitation methods used at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

As she walked free from the dock, Ms Langley hugged relatives and wiped away tears. In 2020, after the fractures were found at a post-mortem examination, bone health expert Professor David Manghan examined the findings.

He told prosecutors the injuries were non-accidental, with some up to four days old, and the location of some were not consistent with being caused during resuscitation attempts.

In October 2023, a trial began with Ms Langley denying causing the injuries to Edith in the days before she died but concerns were raised over the expert evidence relied on by prosecutors.

Defence expert, Prof Edward McCarthy, said Edith’s injuries were consistent with being caused during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and he also raised questions around Edith’s bone density.

The jury was discharged and a new trial was set to start yesterday at Preston Crown Court. But on the first day, prosecutor Timothy Cray KC formally offered no evidence against Ms Langley.

He said that in September, the prosecution was made aware of a similar case in the family courts when a judge made ‘various criticisms’ of the methodology used by Prof Manghan.

In light of this, a third expert, Prof Anthony Freeman, was asked to review the case. Mr Cray said he concluded that “the method of resuscitation at the hospital could explain the location and distribution of the fractures”.