Monster stepdad jailed for EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS over horror death of baby boy left to starve while he binged on drugs with mum
- Andrew William Campbell, 45, left eight-month-old Dexter Wilton to die in his cot while he and the baby’s mother, Natalie Whitehead, indulged in a drug binge
- The baby was found dead in his home in Raceview, Ipswich, in 2019, with autopsy revealing acute malnutrition and severe dehydration as the cause of death
- Campbell showed no remorse, instead choosing to “nourish” his drug habit over caring for the helpless infant
Andrew William Campbell, a 45-year-old monster stepdad, has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for the manslaughter of his eight-month-old stepson, Dexter Wilton. The baby boy suffered a horrific death, left to starve in his cot for at least 21 hours while Campbell and the baby’s mother, Natalie Whitehead, indulged in a drug binge.
The court heard that the couple’s drug-fueled neglect of Dexter’s basic needs was “severe” and “utterly heartbreaking”. Campbell, who claimed to be a parental figure to Dexter, callously chose to prioritize his drug habit over the baby’s welfare.
Judge Catherine Muir slammed Campbell’s actions, saying they were “not the result of some unforeseen circumstance” but a prolonged and deliberate choice. “This was a tragic and utterly heartbreaking case,” she said.
Campbell’s sentencing brings a sense of closure to the community, but the memory of Dexter’s tragic death will linger. The baby’s cause of death was acute malnutrition and severe dehydration, a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of substance abuse.
Campbell has been returned to custody and will be eligible for parole next year. However, the question remains: can a man who showed such blatant disregard for human life ever truly be rehabilitated?