Lois lazenby

Lois Lazenby died aged 2 and 3 months on the 8th November 2004.

Lois lived in Caerphily, Wales with her mother, Sarah Bishop, and her stepfather Daniel Bishop. Lois's mother moved Bishop into the family home in the summer of 2004, they then married. It is believed that the systematic abuse of little Lois started almost immediately. Both Bishop's were cronic heroin abusers.

Lois died from a brain haemorrhage on the 8th of November 2004 after being shook violently by her stepfather two days earlier. During the post mortem of Lois it was discovered that she had suffered 13 fractures to various parts of her body, a cigarette burn, crushing injuries to both her hands and more than 50 bruises to her head, body and limbs. It was stated that Lois would have suffered excruciating pain and significant disability. It was also reported that her stepfather had lifted the little girl's leg onto a red-hot gas hob causing her severe burns to her left foot. The temperature of the gas hob was estimated at 150 degrees centigrade.

In October 2004 Lois was placed on the Child Protection Register under the category for social abuse. Neighbours on the estate in Caerphilly said they tried to raise the alarm but nobody listened to them. Two social workers visited the house following reports from a a tradesman working nearby that he had seen Daniel Bishop hitting Lois. One neighbour, Diane Wiegold, said: "There was a little baby who died and things have been swept under the carpet." Ms Wiegold also said "It's as if the baby's life didn't matter to anybody. Us as neighbours seem to care but no authorities, nobody ever listens."

It should however be noted that Lois's mother did everything within her power to hide the young girls injuries from officals, she even attempted to crudely treat the wounds herself. It should also be said that there was a history of her failing to keep appointments or deliberately keeping Lois away from social workers at times when she, Lois, was obviously in pain.

So i ask why did this behaviour not alert social services that something was wrong? How many times has this sort of behaviour been significant in the case of abused children? How many times have we heard "lessons will be learnt"? It seems to me that perhaps a key indicator was missed in this case as in many others.

Daniel Bishop, 27, from Caerphilly, was jailed for 12 years for child cruelty, wounding with intent and manslaughter. Sarah Bishop, 29, was jailed for six years for child cruelty.

RIP Lois Lazenby your safe from harm now, you have lots of other special little angels to play with.