The tragic death of five-week-old Everleigh Stroud has cast a long and sorrowful shadow across her family and the wider public, following the sentencing of her father, Thomas Holford, to life in prison.
The 25-year-old, who was just 20 at the time of the crime, was found guilty of murder and actual bodily harm after shaking his infant daughter so violently that she suffered catastrophic and irreversible brain damage. The sentencing, handed down at Canterbury Crown Court, includes a minimum term of 16 years before Thomas Holford can be considered for release.
The case has drawn widespread attention not only for the cruelty involved but also for the disturbing revelations about Holford’s drug use, callous behavior during his daughter’s medical crisis, and the devastating emotional toll on Everleigh’s mother and grandmother.
The events of that April night in 2021 reveal a horrifying instance of parental failure, exacerbated by substance abuse and indifference to the life of a vulnerable newborn. The court heard details that paint a haunting picture of what occurred in the hours leading to Everleigh’s injuries, her prolonged suffering, and ultimately, her untimely death.
A Father’s Betrayal: Drug Use and Deadly Violence
Thomas Holford’s actions on the night of April 20, 2021, were fueled by heavy cannabis use. He had reportedly consumed at least five joints to celebrate “420,” a date popular among cannabis users. Despite knowing he was going to be left alone with his newborn daughter, Holford chose to smoke extensively and be under the influence of drugs. His reckless behavior led to one of the most disturbing cases of child abuse to come before the British courts in recent years.
Left alone with Everleigh in a bedroom at his home in Ramsgate, Thomas Holford shook the baby with such excessive and brutal force that she sustained brain injuries, bone fractures, bruising, and damage to her eyes, resulting in blindness. Medical professionals described the injuries as “catastrophic” and “irreversible.”
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The following morning, it was Everleigh’s grandmother, Kelly Stroud, who discovered the gravity of the situation and called for an ambulance. By then, Everleigh was “only just” breathing. Despite the clear emergency, Thomas Holford showed little concern for his daughter’s condition.
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While she was rushed to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, he continued to play games and download content on his phone, an act that deeply disturbed both hospital staff and the jury. His detachment, both emotionally and physically, painted the portrait of a man wholly unfit to care for a child—one who chose drugs over responsibility and displayed no remorse even in a moment of life and death.
A Year of Suffering: Everleigh’s Long Battle Before Death
The impact of Thomas Holford’s violent act was not immediately fatal. Instead, Everleigh was condemned to over a year of suffering. Born on March 13, 2021, she spent the majority of her life in a hospital bed, receiving round-the-clock care for injuries she would never recover from.
Despite the relentless love and determination of her mother, Casey, and her grandmother, Everleigh’s condition continued to decline. Her life came to a heartbreaking end on May 27, 2022, when she passed away at just 14 months old.
Mr Justice Michael Fordham, during sentencing, described how Thomas Holford had robbed Everleigh not only of her life but of the promise and dreams that every child deserves. The judge highlighted the extreme nature of her injuries—bruises, bone fractures, blindness, and ultimately brain death—as clear evidence of Holford’s intent to cause serious harm.
The court also acknowledged the continued trauma and emotional devastation faced by Everleigh’s family. Statements made by Kelly Stroud were especially poignant. She described how the family had been plunged into a state of unimaginable grief, having first clung to hope and then been forced to confront the reality of Everleigh’s fate.
Her testimony detailed the impact not only on herself and Casey but on their entire family unit. The ripple effect of Thomas Holford’s crime had destroyed any possibility of lasting happiness, embedding a sorrow that, as Mr Justice Fordham remarked, would remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Justice Delivered: Sentencing and the Court’s Verdict
The jury at Canterbury Crown Court took little time to reach a unanimous verdict of guilty on the charges of murder and actual bodily harm. Thomas Holford’s attempts to deflect responsibility—including claims of memory loss and confusion—did little to sway the jury.
Instead, his pattern of manipulation, as revealed during the trial, painted a picture of a man unwilling to take accountability. Evidence showed that he had coerced his then 16-year-old girlfriend’s family into hiding his cannabis use and had texted a dealer on the day he was to care for Everleigh, acknowledging the stress he anticipated.
His statement, “Could you strap me anything, as I’ve got the little one on my own tonight. Going to be f****** stressful,” exposed a premeditated intent to use drugs while in charge of his child. This text, combined with the physical evidence at the scene—a cannabis grinder and joint butts beside a milk bottle—solidified the argument that Thomas Holford placed his own comfort above the safety of his baby.
Additionally, Thomas Holford was convicted of another count of actual bodily harm, this time of Everleigh’s anus. The court ruled that this injury, inflicted on the same night, dismissed any suggestion that the fatal shaking was a single act driven by a flash of frustration. Instead, it pointed to a pattern of abuse and raised disturbing questions about Holford’s motives and state of mind.
The life sentence handed down was accompanied by a minimum term of 16 years, minus the 351 days already served in custody. While it brings a measure of justice for Everleigh’s family, it also serves as a grim reminder of the responsibilities that come with parenthood—and the horrors that can unfold when those responsibilities are ignored, abused, and destroyed by selfishness and violence.
Mr Justice Fordham’s final remarks were filled with sorrow and indignation: “Your actions robbed the Stroud family of any type of deep happiness, leaving a grief on all members of the family for the rest of their lives.” His statement captured the immense emotional cost borne by the family, as well as the social outrage stirred by Thomas Holford’s callous behavior.
This case has drawn widespread attention not only due to the brutality of the act but also because it touches on broader social concerns—parental neglect, substance abuse, and child protection. It raises important questions about how young parents, especially those involved in drug culture, are supported or monitored, and what more can be done to prevent similar tragedies from occurring.
While the sentence may bring some closure, Everleigh’s story is one of stolen innocence and lost potential. She never had the chance to speak, to grow, or to experience the world. Her brief life, marked by unimaginable suffering, now stands as a powerful call for vigilance, responsibility, and the safeguarding of our most vulnerable.