New detail emerges about mother who killed her baby with hairdryer

British woman Courtney Gartshore has been found guilty of culpable homicide after the death of her three-month old daughter Dahlia-Rose on 30 September, 2023.

Gartshore was arrested two months later after an investigation into the infant's death, and the mother was charged with 'culpably and recklessly' causing her daughter's death after exposing her to hairdryer heat.

Now The Times reports that while Gartshore was bailed and awaiting her trial she was allowed to leave the UK and go on a holiday to Turkey where she posed for pictures.

Her mother's boyfriend posted the pictures of the holiday which had been taken in May 2025 to social media which showed Gartshore and her family enjoying their time abroad.

Among the pictures were images of the woman flipping off the camera and singing karaoke.

Courtney Gartshore (centre) was pictured abroad on holiday while she was on bail and awaiting trial for killing her infant daughter (Social Media)

According to The Times police were concerned that Gartshore might not return from her holiday for her trial.

She did, and the jury at the court in Aberdeen took less than an hour to deliver a guilty verdict on the charge of culpable homicide over the tragic death of her daughter.

The 28-year-old had pleaded not guilty and said that she believed Dahlia-Rose had died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

The court heard that the three-month old baby had suffered burns to 18 percent of her body following heat exposure from a hairdryer at her mother's Aberdeenshire flat, and the infant's DNA had been on the device as well.

Gartshore, who had been drunk, had turned on the hairdryer next to the child and the trial heard that the baby was exposed to 'sustained heat', and experts told the court they initially thought Dahlia-Rose had been in a fire due to the severity of her injuries.

Dahlia-Rose was just three months old when she died (Handout)

The woman called the emergency services to say her daughter had 'turned purple', and her friends told the court they thought she might have been trying to use the hairdryer to warm the baby up after carrying her around on a cold night.

Her defence has argued that Gartshore shouldn't be given a custodial sentence due to mental health issues, but she has been remanded in custody and she is due to be sentenced on 14 August.

Following the verdict, Detective Inspector James Callander said: “Children are defenceless and should be protected. The death of any child is particularly harrowing, but a child’s death at the hands of a parent is incredibly disturbing.

“Everyone involved in this investigation was deeply affected by the circumstances of Dahlia Rose’s death, but our job is to uncover the truth and ensure that the person responsible is brought to justice.

"I would like to express sincere thanks to everyone who supported what was an incredibly difficult and sensitive enquiry."