Karen Foster, a 61-year-old woman, who has been accused of the murder of a baby and the assault of a one-year-old girl. Foster appeared before Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on this morning where she was remanded in custody. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Friday at Preston Crown Court.

According to Lancashire Police, Foster has no relation to either of the victims, and the two children involved are not related to each other. The investigation began on March 1 last year when authorities responded to reports of a baby boy experiencing a medical episode at an address in Hapton, Lancashire.

Tragically, the nine-and-a-half-month-old boy was taken to the hospital for treatment but passed away on March 5, 2022. Foster, who hails from Haslingden, was arrested along with a 78-year-old man from Burnley on suspicion of assault. Subsequently, they were both detained on suspicion of murder.

However, the 78-year-old man has since been released without charge, while Foster has been charged specifically with the murder of the baby. Additionally, she faces a separate charge of assaulting a one-year-old girl in Hapton on March 22, 2019.

Lancashire Police assured that the family of the deceased boy is being supported by specially trained officers, and they expressed their condolences, stating, “Our thoughts are with them at this time.”