A new three-part documentary which will revisit the chilling case of Cheshire nanny Louise Woodward is set to storm Channel 4 later this year.
Back in 1997, Louise was convicted of involuntary manslaughter following the death of an eight-month-old baby boy, Matthew Eappen, who died while in her care.
At the time, the harrowing case sent shockwaves across the world as news broke that the British nanny was charged with the murder of baby Matthew while she was working as an Au Pair in Massachusetts.
The eight-month-old had been admitted to a hospital in Boston with a fractured skull, internal bleeding and a fractured wrist and his injuries saw the tragic tot fall into a coma before he passed away.
After she was reprimanded by authorities, Louise admitted to playing ‘a little roughly’ with Matthew days before his death and a grand jury later convicted her of a first-degree murder charge.
Louise was sentenced to 15 years in a maximum-security prison.
However, after her defence maintained that Matthew’s injuries were weeks old, Louise’s sentence was reduced to involuntary manslaughter and she was released after serving 279 days in prison.
After baby Matthew’s case struck a chord with millions of people on both sides of the Atlantic, Channel 4 will now revisit Louise’s court case almost 25 years on.
The three-part series called Louise Woodward: Villain or Victim will examine the murder charge, trial and appeal in a new never before seen context.
With new access and leads to both defence and prosecution lawyers, detectives, paramedics and journalists, the harrowing documentary series will detail and re-examine the divisive case, the trial and its conclusion.
Lifting the lid on the documentary series, Fatime Salaria, managing director of Naked said: "The media circus around this story means it has remained in the public consciousness for over 20 years.
"With the opportunity to look back with fresh eyes alongside exclusive access to both sides of the story, this documentary offers a new perspective on the case.”
Elsewhere, Daniel Fromm, commissioning editor for factual entertainment at Channel 4, concurred: "This three-part documentary boxset offers fascinating insights into a trial that gripped the public’s attention on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Almost 25-years on from the trial, Louise now lives as a free woman in the UK alongside her businessman husband and her daughter.
Louise now works as a dance teacher.
Louise Woodward: Villain or Victim? will air on Channel 4 this year.
