A 28-year-old mother, Courtney Gartshore, has been found guilty of the culpable homicide of her three-month-old daughter, Dahlia-Rose. The infant passed away in September 2023 while under her mother’s care in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. Following a seven-day trial, the jury reached a verdict in just over an hour.
The court heard that Dahlia-Rose suffered extensive burns covering 18% of her body. Prosecutors presented evidence showing the child’s DNA on the hairdryer used to cause the injuries. Although the defense suggested via an expert witness that the baby may have already been deceased before the burns were inflicted, the jury sided with the prosecution’s argument that only Gartshore, who was the sole adult present, could have operated the device. During the proceedings, it was noted that the defendant had consumed alcohol prior to the incident.
Gartshore, who denied the charges throughout the trial, will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on 14 August. Detective Inspector James Callander emphasized the tragic nature of the case, noting that while the investigation was deeply distressing for all involved, the primary objective was to secure justice for the victim.
