A 28-year-old mother, Courtney Gartshore, has been sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of the culpable homicide of her three-month-old daughter, Dahlia-Rose. The infant was discovered with severe injuries at a property in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, in September 2023, and was pronounced dead after emergency services arrived at the scene. Following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen in July, a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict, finding that Gartshore had culpably and recklessly subjected her child to heat from a hairdryer while the infant was in her sole care.
During the sentencing hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Judge Simon Collins KC described the circumstances as "uniquely disturbing and distressing." The judge noted that the likely cause of death was hyperthermia and heat stroke, adding that the mother would have to live the rest of her life knowing she was responsible for her daughter’s death. He characterized the incident as a "gross breach of the most basic duty as a parent." Gartshore, who appeared via videolink wearing a navy prison uniform, was visibly emotional throughout the 25-minute hearing, during which she sobbed and wiped away tears.
The court heard that the hairdryer was used on the infant for up to an hour, causing burns to approximately 18% of her body, specifically affecting her head, neck, upper body, and one arm. Defence lawyer Murray Macara stated that while he could not provide a compelling explanation for why the device was used, he speculated it was deployed "culpably and recklessly" as a source of heat. Gartshore has maintained that she has no recollection of the events. Macara further noted that his client has a history of childhood trauma, mental health struggles, self-harm, and overdoses, and that she has been held in isolation for 23 hours a day for her own protection since being taken into custody. He argued that she had provided appropriate care to her baby up until the night of her death.
The trial included testimony regarding a 999 call placed by Gartshore, in which she claimed her daughter had turned "purple" while she was sleeping. Forensic evidence confirmed the infant's DNA was present on the hairdryer. Although the defence argued during the trial that the child might have been dead prior to the burn injuries, expert witness Dr. Timothy Burge, a burns specialist, testified that while the injuries were severe and disfiguring, they were potentially survivable. The jury was spared having to see photos of the injuries. The court also heard that Gartshore had consumed alcohol before the incident occurred.
Det Insp James Callander emphasized the gravity of the case following the conviction, stating that children are defenceless and should be protected. He noted that the death of any child is harrowing, but a death at the hands of a parent is incredibly disturbing. He added that everyone involved in the investigation was deeply affected by the circumstances of Dahlia-Rose's death, but the primary objective was to uncover the truth and ensure that the person responsible was brought to justice.
