Louise Woodward Wiki, Bio, Husband, Net Worth, Children, Case

Who is Louise Woodward?

Louise Woodward is a former au pair from the United Kingdom. She was tried and convicted in 1997 of the involuntary homicide of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen while in her care in Massachusetts, USA. Accordingly, at the time of her imprisonment, she was a 19-year-old nanny who had started working for Matthew’s parents, Deborah and Sunil Eappen, in November 1996.

Besides, Louise’s infamous trial was at the time the highest-profile court case in the United States involving a British defendant. The trial was broadcast on television screens on both sides of the Atlantic.

Profile of Louise Woodward

Profile of Louise Woodward
Full NameLouise Woodward
Popular AsLouise Woodward
Birthdate28th February, 1978
Place of BirthElton, United Kingdom
GenderFemale
ProfessionFormer Nanny, Current Dance Instructor
NationalityBritish
Race / EthnicityBritish-white
ReligionChristian
EducationGraduate
UniversityLondon South Bank University
Sexual OrientationStraight
Age44 Years Old
Sun-signPisces
Eye colorBlue
Hair ColorLight Brown
HeightUndisclosed
Marital statusMarried
ParentsGary Woodward (Father) & Susan Woodward ( Mother)
SiblingsUndisclosed
SpouseAntony Elks (m. 2013-present)
Children1
Net Worth$100k USD

In 1997, Louise Woodward was convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen while caring for him in his home in Newton, Massachusetts, US. Moreover, she was a 19-year-old British nanny serving in the United Sates of America. Furthermore, her conviction received global attention and her trail is listed as one of the high-profile trial in the world.

Early-life, Education & Family of Louise Woodward

Early-life, Education & Family of Louise Woodward

Louise Woodward was born in Elton, England, on February 28, 1978. She was born in the United Kingdom and comes from a British-white ethnic background. Similarly, she practices Christianity as her religion. Currently, Louise is 44 years old as of 2022, and her zodiac sign is Pisces. In addition, she is the daughter of Gary Woodward and Susan Woodward.

As regards to her academics, Louise received her education at London South Bank University, where she majored in Law. Moreover, in July of 2002, she received a 2:2 (Hons) degree.

Life of Louise Woodward before Conviction

Life of Louise before Conviction

Louise Woodward was a British adolescent who yearned for independence. Accordingly, Louise, at 18 years old, was hired as an au pair (nanny) in the United States in July 1996. She started working for Drs. Sunil and Debbie Eappen in Boston, caring for their two sons, 2-year-old Brendan and 8-month-old Matthew Eappen. However, Woodward’s late nights out, apparent immaturity, and reported lack of concern for the care of the two children in her charge alarmed the Eappens.

Cause of Matthew’s Death

Cause of Matthew’s Death

Louise contacted an ambulance after Matthew Eappen stopped breathing on February 4, 1997. At Boston Children’s Hospital, he was put on a life support system. The next day, Louise was arrested and charged with abuse on a child, to which she pleaded not guilty. However, she did admit to shaking Matthew and tossing him onto a stack of towels. Subsequently, Matthew died of a cerebral hemorrhage on February 10th. Eventually, Louise was charged with homicide.

Meanwhile, the prosecution argued at Louise’s trial that she killed Matthew in a “frustrated, unhappy, and resentful rage”. Additionally, Louise confessed to police that she “may have been a little rough with him” after he was “cranky, crying, and fussy”.  Eventually, Louise was convicted guilty of second-degree murder and given a mandatory life sentence by a jury in October 1997. However, the judge reduced her sentence to time served the following month. Nonetheless, she was able to return to England.

Louise Woodward Case

Louise Woodward Case

Louise was prosecuted in 1997 for the murder of Matthew Eappen, an eight-month-old baby who died in her care while she was employed as a nanny in Massachusetts. After Matthew stopped breathing, Woodward summoned an ambulance to the family’s house on February 4, 1997. He was rushed to Boston Children’s Hospital and placed on life support.

In 1997, Woodward was apprehended and pled not guilty to violence on a child in court. The police, on the other hand, claimed she acknowledged to shaking the toddler and tossing him onto a pile of towels.

Matthew died six days after she phoned an ambulance for him after suffering a major brain bleed, and his life support system was turned off. Prosecutors then indicated that a murder indictment will be sought.

The trial took place in October 1997, and during the extensively broadcast court case, Woodward was chastised by the public for appearing cold.

Woodward’s Side of the Story

Woodward's Side of the Story

She presented her version of events of the night she called the ambulance nearly two weeks into the trial, according to the BBC at the time. She described her desperate efforts to resuscitate infant Matthew, but she denied aggressively shaking, hitting, or injuring him.

Woodward maintained her innocence throughout the trial. And, when she was convicted guilty of second-degree murder on October 30, she broke down in tears. Protests erupted in the United States as well as in her hometown of Elton in the days following her sentencing. In addition, it was found that the jury was split on the murder verdict.

The case took another interesting turn on November 4, 1997. Judge Hiller Zobel accepted the defense appeal for the murder charge to be reduced to manslaughter, reversing the original all-or-nothing strategy. He also reduced her sentence to 279 days, the same amount of time she had already served in prison, allowing her to leave.

Her Side of the Story

Aftermath of the Legal Trial

After returning to the UK, Louise enrolled at London South Bank University to study law. In 2002, she graduated with a 2:2 and went to work for a Manchester law firm. She did, however, resigned the contract to pursue a career as a dance instructor.

The Killer Nanny Dis She Do It?

The Killer Nanny Dis She Do It?

On January 10, 2022, Channel 4 aired ‘The Killer Nanny Did She Do It?’, a documentary detailing Louise Woodward’s trial. The famous trial involving the death of baby Matthew Eappen was re-examined on the broadcast. The program includes extra interviews with witnesses, defense, prosecution, and the jury to recognize the 25th anniversary of the high-profile US court case.

Louise Woodward’s Personal life & Marriage

Louise’s Personal life & Marriage

Louise Woodward married her boyfriend of 7 years Antony Elkes. She married Elkes in May 2013. In addition, Louise gave birth to her first child, a daughter Holly Elkes, on January 1, 2014, at the age of 35.

Besides, Woodward is a salsa instructor at her dancing studio at present. Likewise, Antony Elkes, her husband, runs a truck rental company.

Net Worth of Louise Woodward

Since her public trial, Louise has kept out of the spotlight. Also, her personal life is shrouded in mystery. Her earnings and sources of income are also deliberately secret. As per reports, her estimated net fortune is around $100k USD.

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