Reported by:
Cherry Meigh Timbol
News Content Editor
Published August 15, 2026
EDINBURGH, Scotland — A Scottish mother has been sentenced to six years in prison after being convicted of the culpable homicide of her three-month-old daughter, who died after being exposed to sustained heat from a hairdryer.
Courtney Gartshore, 28, was sentenced Friday at the High Court in Edinburgh following her unanimous conviction on July 16 for the 2023 death of her daughter, Dahlia-Rose. The Scottish judiciary confirmed that Judge Simon Collins backdated the six-year sentence to July 16, when Gartshore was first taken into custody.
The case centered on events during the early hours of Sept. 30, 2023, after Gartshore had been drinking alcohol while out socializing with friends and neighbors. According to the court, she returned home at approximately 4 a.m. while still responsible for the infant.
Infant Exposed to Prolonged Heat
Evidence presented at trial established that Dahlia-Rose was exposed to significant and sustained heat from a hairdryer sometime between approximately 4 a.m. and 9 a.m.
The hairdryer was later found plugged into a wall beside Gartshore’s bed. Prosecutors argued that Gartshore had turned the appliance on, positioned it close to her daughter and left it operating for a prolonged period. Judge Collins said the evidence suggested it may have remained on for at least 20 minutes and potentially as long as an hour.
The infant suffered severe burns covering approximately 18% of her body, including her head, face, neck, upper body and right arm.
Experts determined that the burns themselves were survivable, but the prosecution’s medical evidence identified hyperthermia and heatstroke as the likely causes of death.
Jury Rejects Defense Explanation
Gartshore’s defense argued that Dahlia-Rose may already have died from a sudden and unexplained cause before being exposed to the hairdryer.
The jury rejected that explanation and unanimously concluded that the heat from the hairdryer caused the infant’s death.
Judge Collins said the prosecution did not allege that Gartshore intended to kill or deliberately assault her daughter.
Instead, the conviction was for culpable homicide arising from a high degree of carelessness or gross recklessness, a distinction that the judge said made the offense less serious in legal terms than murder.
Alcohol Cited as an Aggravating Factor
The court heard that Gartshore had consumed a significant amount of alcohol before returning home.
Judge Collins said her intoxication may have contributed either to exposing Dahlia-Rose to the hairdryer’s heat or to her failure to switch the appliance off.
The judge also cited the infant’s age and vulnerability as aggravating factors, noting that Dahlia-Rose was completely dependent on her mother for protection and care.
The court further found that Gartshore’s actions after the incident indicated an attempt to conceal her involvement. According to the sentencing statement, she moved the infant’s body from the bedroom to the balcony before police and paramedics arrived and initially denied knowing how the child had died or how she had been burned.
Judge Calls Case “Uniquely Disturbing”
Judge Collins described the circumstances surrounding Dahlia-Rose’s death as exceptionally distressing.
However, he emphasized that the case was not one involving an intentional killing or an assault. He characterized Gartshore’s culpability as being at a medium level, while describing the harm caused—the death of an infant—as being at the highest level.
The judge set a sentencing starting point of four years, with a range of three to seven years, before considering aggravating and mitigating circumstances.
The final sentence was set at six years.
Mitigating Circumstances Considered
The court also considered factors in Gartshore’s favor.
She had no previous convictions, and the judge noted that she was a young single mother with limited support and caring responsibilities for another child.
The sentencing statement also referred to a history of mental-health difficulties and an attempted suicide following Dahlia-Rose’s death. Judge Collins stressed that these circumstances did not excuse her conduct but were relevant when determining the appropriate sentence.
The judge nevertheless concluded that a significant prison sentence was necessary because of the circumstances of the child’s death.
Sentence Backdated to July
Gartshore’s six-year prison sentence was backdated to July 16, 2026, the date she was first taken into custody.
The court did not impose an extended sentence involving additional post-release supervision, finding that the statutory requirements for such an order had not been met.
🧩 Bottom Line:
The conviction closes a case surrounding the death of three-month-old Dahlia-Rose in 2023. A Scottish jury concluded that the infant died because of prolonged exposure to heat from a hairdryer while in her mother’s care.
The court determined that Gartshore’s conduct amounted to culpable homicide caused by gross recklessness rather than intentional murder, and Judge Collins ultimately imposed a six-year prison sentence.
SOURCES: DAILYMAIL ONLINE – Mother, 28, who burned her baby to death with a hairdryer after night of partying is jailed for just six years after judge ruled she ‘didn’t intend to harm or kill her’
UPNORTH LIVE – Drunk mother who killed her 3-month-old baby with a hairdryer sentenced: judge
