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A cannabis-smoking dad who murdered his own baby spent most of his life in foster care and met his tragic son's mum when she was just 15.
Lee Vernon deliberately killed six-week-old Mckenzie Ellis, inflicting injuries so serious he was left with 28 bone fractures and a bleed on his brain.
The 21-year-old was convicted of murder yesterday following a three-week trial and will be sentenced next month.
Maidstone Crown Court was told he is originally from Derby and one of eight children.
Following the break-up of his parents, he was brought up in foster care.
It was because of his experiences with social services he was reluctant to involve authorities when Mckenzie was born, he told the court.
He moved from Dover to Margate in 2015 and in the November of that year met Mckenzie's mother, a 15-year-old schoolgirl called Katrina Ellis.
They started a relationship, but Vernon said it did not become sexual until they reconciled following a short break-up, by which time Katrina was 17.
Vernon worked two days a week for Invicta Produce - a food factory in Ramsgate - before moving to a full-time job at a B&Q store at the end of 2017.
"We found out Katrina was pregnant after taking tests," he told the court.
"It was unplanned but I was happy. We had a conversation about whether we wanted a child and we both agreed we did."
Vernon, who was still living in foster care at the time, said they did not got for parenting classes.
"After I cut the baby's cord I proposed to her and I bought a ring from Argos. I wanted to marry her because I love her.
"I had asked her father's permission first and as she lay in the bed in the delivery room I got onto one knee and proposed. I was ecstatic when she agreed."
A cannabis user, Vernon said he had been drinking alcohol and smoking the Class B drug the night before Mckenzie suffered his fatal injuries.
When the baby was rushed to hospital, BMX enthusiast Vernon went to watch a show in Thanet while Miss Ellis and her family stayed with Mckenzie.
Pictures have emerged of him wearing a hat bearing the words 'KILLIN' IT' just hours after Mckenzie was born.
