Khyra Ishaq aged 7 was found dying of starvation on a matress along with her 5 other siblings in the early hours of Saturday 17th May 2008.
Khyra died shortly after arriving at hospital. Khyra's mother Angela Gordon,33 and step father Junaid Abuhamza,29 have both been charged with child neglect and have been remanded in custody until the 29th May. Paramedics entered the property in Leyton Rd, Handsworth, Birmingham at around 5.45am on Saturday morning, they found all 6 children, 3 girls and 3 boys, lying on mattresses Khyra was seriously ill the other children emaciated. All the children where taken to the near by hospital. It is believed that the remaining children have now been released from hospital.
Neighbour Emma Murphy reported her suspicions of neglect to the police after seeing the children enter her garden to eat the bread she had thrown out for the birds. Other neighbours have claimed that they had recently seen 3 of the children in recent months looking "extremely thin".
I will bring more news as and when i get it.
UPDATE......21.19pm 21/5/08
Paramedics rec'd a call at 5.00am on 17th May following complaints from Khyra of breathing difficulties. The paramedics found all 6 children on one mattress. The other 5 children are still in hospital. Khyra and her siblings were taken to the City Childrens Hospital.
Birmingham Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood has called for Birmingham City Council to begin an inquiry into the girl's death. The Labour MP said he understood that Khyra and her siblings were removed from school about 10 weeks ago amid claims that they were being bullied. An educational social worker then paid a visit to the seven-year-old's family home, and no further follow-up checks took place, Mr Mahmood said.
Updated 24/5/08
It is believed that Khyra's mother removed her children from school due to bullying, an education social worker called once at the family home, got no reply and never returned or even rescheduled a return follow up visit. Labour MP Khalid Mahmood is now calling for a full-scale inquiry by the City Council into how social workers could have missed the children's plight. The MP for Birmingham Perry Barr has already accused both the local education authority and social services of ' huge incompetence'. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has backed calls for a thorough investigation into how Khyra Ishaq was allowed to die.
Following text from Sun newspaper
Tragic Khyra Ishaq’s emaciated body was found on the floor of her home – surrounded by her badly undernourished siblings. Cops and medics found that their mum Angela Gordon appeared to have cleared the house of food and dumped the fridge in the back garden. A source said last night: “No one knows why, but it appears the mother had a mission to starve her children. She didn’t just pick on Khyra – it was just that she faded first.“The others needed immediate hospital attention. But the mum hadn’t been starving herself.” It is believed Gordon may have called 999 crews to the grim scene in Handsworth, Birmingham – where Khyra’s body was like a “bag of bones”. Her three brothers and two sisters, aged from four to 12, were gathered round the corpse in a “zombie-like” state. Their Jamaican-born Muslim mother allegedly referred to her dead daughter as “It.”
End of sun text
The biological father of Khyra, Ishaq Abu Zaire, has said the following on learning of the death of his daughter: He said the "manner of her death" was "absolutely disgraceful". I'm just as ignorant as everyone else as to what happened," " But like I say... you can put your house on it that we're going to find out, one way or another, we are going to find out exactly what happened here." " As far as I can see because I have a dead child right now, they did nothing, they did nothing."" They never lifted a finger to do anything... so they are responsible as well." He said the last time he saw all of the children, including Khyra, the girl was happy and there was "no concern... with regards to her health".
It should be noted that Khyra's father had not seen any of the children for over 1 year, it is not yet known if he had any other form of contact with them. He has been living abroad.
Khyra's grandmother said the following: Khyra's grandmother Isolene Clark described the heartache of losing her grandchild: "I cannot express the pain and hurt in my heart over the loss of my granddaughter and the treatment of my grandchildren. I am in shock and cannot understand how or why this has happened in a country that is supposed to protect children and see that no harm comes to them."
I say: Where were all these loving, doting members of Khyra's extended family during the time that she and her siblings needed them most????Perhaps Khyra's father and grandmother need to look closer to home to understand how and why this has happened in a country that is supposed to protect children. The Child Welfare System must take a portion of blame it goes without saying, as must Khyra's mother and step-father, but so also should the absent father, the extended family, the neighbours the list goes on. We must all shoulder some of the responsibilities in protecting the children of this country from evil, we all have a vital role to play.
I will continue to update the unfolding tragic story of Khyra and her siblings as and when news is available.
RIP Khyra Ishaq your safe from harm now, you have lots of other special little angels to play with.
Sunday, 25 May 2008
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.
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.
Ainlee Labonte
Anilee Labonte was born on the 24/6/1999 she died on the 7/1/2002.
Ainlee was killed by her mother and father by pinching, hitting, scalding, burning her with cigarettes and starving her. Ainlee Labonte was covered in 64 scars, scabs and bruises when she died and her weight, 21lbs, was half that of an average two-year-old.
Paramedics found Ainlee lying dead on a kitchen table after her parents called an ambulance on January 7 2002. Labonte and Henry were arrested at the hospital. It was discovered that Ainlee had not eaten for two days before her death even though the kitchen was full of food and her siblings, now in the care of the local authority, were well-fed and appeared physically unharmed. The pathologist who examined her said it would have been blatantly obvious that she was "severely and terminally ill" in the days before her death. Her injuries would have been obvious to anyone who saw her. Leanne Labonte, 20, and Dennis Henry, 39, of Plaistow, east London, denied both charges, but a jury of seven men and five women took less than three hours to find them guilty. Labonte was jailed for 10 years for manslaughter and 8 years for cruelty, Henry was jailed for 12 years for manslaughter and 9 years for cruelty.
Assistant Deputy Commissioner Carole Howlett stated the following"Ainlee died a painful death at the hands of her parents, the very people she should have been able to trust for care and protection above all others. Even officers with many years experience were truly shocked and upset at what this little girl endured."
Newham social services repeatedly failed to act on concerns about the family and failed to make a scheduled visit to their home in the week before Ainlee's death. Its staff had not seen Ainlee in the five months before her death, despite reopening the case, which it had closed a year and a half before against the advice of health workers.
RIP Ainlee your safe from harm now. You have lots of other special angels to play with
Ainlee was killed by her mother and father by pinching, hitting, scalding, burning her with cigarettes and starving her. Ainlee Labonte was covered in 64 scars, scabs and bruises when she died and her weight, 21lbs, was half that of an average two-year-old.
Paramedics found Ainlee lying dead on a kitchen table after her parents called an ambulance on January 7 2002. Labonte and Henry were arrested at the hospital. It was discovered that Ainlee had not eaten for two days before her death even though the kitchen was full of food and her siblings, now in the care of the local authority, were well-fed and appeared physically unharmed. The pathologist who examined her said it would have been blatantly obvious that she was "severely and terminally ill" in the days before her death. Her injuries would have been obvious to anyone who saw her. Leanne Labonte, 20, and Dennis Henry, 39, of Plaistow, east London, denied both charges, but a jury of seven men and five women took less than three hours to find them guilty. Labonte was jailed for 10 years for manslaughter and 8 years for cruelty, Henry was jailed for 12 years for manslaughter and 9 years for cruelty.
Assistant Deputy Commissioner Carole Howlett stated the following"Ainlee died a painful death at the hands of her parents, the very people she should have been able to trust for care and protection above all others. Even officers with many years experience were truly shocked and upset at what this little girl endured."
Newham social services repeatedly failed to act on concerns about the family and failed to make a scheduled visit to their home in the week before Ainlee's death. Its staff had not seen Ainlee in the five months before her death, despite reopening the case, which it had closed a year and a half before against the advice of health workers.
RIP Ainlee your safe from harm now. You have lots of other special angels to play with
Victoria Climbie
Victoria Adjo Climbie B 2/11/1991 D 20/2/2000.
Victoria was sent to this country from the Ivory Coast in the hope of a better life, but within a year and a half of the picture being taken she was dead, the victim of horrendous physical abuse. Victoria died as the result of the neglect and the vicious beatings meted out by her great aunt, Marie Therese Kouao, and her boyfriend Carl Manning. But she was also failed by social workers and others who could have stepped in to protect her.
One social worker claimed she was afraid to enter the flat (home of Victoria) as she felt she may catch scabies. Victoria died of hypothermia on the 20th February 2000. She had 128 injuries. Victoria was fed food of a piece of plastic whilst she was tied up in a plastic bag full of faeces in the bath. Victoria was made to eat the food of the plastic like a dog.
The Home Office pathologist who examined her body, Doctor Nathaniel Cary, says it was the worst case of abuse he has seen in his career. "This poor little girl had scars all over her body, on the head, on the trunk, front and back, and on all four limbs. "And many of the scars suggest they'd been due to weapon-type injuries so you can see from the nature and the extent of injuries why this would be the worst case I've encountered."
Victoria - called Anna by her killers - was forced to live in a freezing bath in her own excrement. Her hands and feet were bound and she was naked except for a bin liner. Manning has admitted hitting her over the head with a bicycle chain. She was also regularly beaten with weapons including a belt buckle, hammer and wire. Victoria's blood was found in the hall, bedsitting room and bathroom of the cramped flat where the three lived in Tottenham in North London. In his diary, Manning describes Victoria as Satan and says that no matter how hard he hit her she didn't cry or show signs that she was hurt. Kouao viewed the child as a useful tool for claiming benefits.
Victoria was first taken to hospital on 14 July 1999. Avril Cameron, the daughter of the childminder caring for the little girl whilst Kouao worked, was horrified to see cuts and bruises on Victoria's hands and legs, as well as what looked like cigarette burns. Victoria was placed under a 72-hour protection order preventing a furious Kouao from removing her from the hospital. But Dr Ruby Schwartz, the consultant paediatrician at the hospital, diagnosed the skin complaint scabies and Anna was allowed to return to the flat in Tottenham. Ten days later Victoria was taken to the North Middlesex hospital with severe scalding to her head. Kouao claimed the little girl had poured boiling water over herself to stop the itching caused by the scabies, but the hospital found no evidence of the disease. From then on, Kouao kept Victoria away from hospitals turning instead to churches. Kouao, claiming to be Victoria's mother, said the child had demons inside her which were making her incontinent.
RIP Victoria your safe from harm now. You have lots of other special little angels to play with.
Victoria was sent to this country from the Ivory Coast in the hope of a better life, but within a year and a half of the picture being taken she was dead, the victim of horrendous physical abuse. Victoria died as the result of the neglect and the vicious beatings meted out by her great aunt, Marie Therese Kouao, and her boyfriend Carl Manning. But she was also failed by social workers and others who could have stepped in to protect her.
One social worker claimed she was afraid to enter the flat (home of Victoria) as she felt she may catch scabies. Victoria died of hypothermia on the 20th February 2000. She had 128 injuries. Victoria was fed food of a piece of plastic whilst she was tied up in a plastic bag full of faeces in the bath. Victoria was made to eat the food of the plastic like a dog.
The Home Office pathologist who examined her body, Doctor Nathaniel Cary, says it was the worst case of abuse he has seen in his career. "This poor little girl had scars all over her body, on the head, on the trunk, front and back, and on all four limbs. "And many of the scars suggest they'd been due to weapon-type injuries so you can see from the nature and the extent of injuries why this would be the worst case I've encountered."
Victoria - called Anna by her killers - was forced to live in a freezing bath in her own excrement. Her hands and feet were bound and she was naked except for a bin liner. Manning has admitted hitting her over the head with a bicycle chain. She was also regularly beaten with weapons including a belt buckle, hammer and wire. Victoria's blood was found in the hall, bedsitting room and bathroom of the cramped flat where the three lived in Tottenham in North London. In his diary, Manning describes Victoria as Satan and says that no matter how hard he hit her she didn't cry or show signs that she was hurt. Kouao viewed the child as a useful tool for claiming benefits.
Victoria was first taken to hospital on 14 July 1999. Avril Cameron, the daughter of the childminder caring for the little girl whilst Kouao worked, was horrified to see cuts and bruises on Victoria's hands and legs, as well as what looked like cigarette burns. Victoria was placed under a 72-hour protection order preventing a furious Kouao from removing her from the hospital. But Dr Ruby Schwartz, the consultant paediatrician at the hospital, diagnosed the skin complaint scabies and Anna was allowed to return to the flat in Tottenham. Ten days later Victoria was taken to the North Middlesex hospital with severe scalding to her head. Kouao claimed the little girl had poured boiling water over herself to stop the itching caused by the scabies, but the hospital found no evidence of the disease. From then on, Kouao kept Victoria away from hospitals turning instead to churches. Kouao, claiming to be Victoria's mother, said the child had demons inside her which were making her incontinent.
RIP Victoria your safe from harm now. You have lots of other special little angels to play with.
Leticia Wright
Leticia was born on the 1st August 2002 and died on the 19 November 2006.
Ambulance staff found Leticia at her home in Almondbury Bank, Huddersfield, late on the evening of Saturday November 18 2006. She was lying naked on the living room floor covered in bruises, both old and new, and she was not breathing.
In the months preceding her death Leticia was seen standing at her bedroom window. Two neighbours were so concerned they rang the social services. Two social workers from Kirklees Council visited the house and met with Leticia and her mother but days later her file was closed.
Nicholas Campbell QC (prosecutor), said: "The cause of death was multiple injuries and they were mainly forceful blows to Leticia's head and to her abdomen."These injuries had been inflicted between two and three days before she died.""She had suffered other injuries over a longer period than that.""Whoever inflicted the fatal injuries, those to the head and to the abdomen must have intended at the very least to cause her really serious harm."
Wright and McKenzie-Seaton had moved in together at the house in Huddersfield three months before Leticia's death. Neighbours said the pair received few visitors, the windows were rarely opened and the curtains were always drawn. It appeared that there was little family life going on behind the closed curtains. One indication of that lack of family life was noticed by a number of neighbours - the amount of time that Leticia spent in her bedroom. She could be seen on most week days standing in front of the closed curtain of her window, looking out into the street below. She was seen there at morning, at lunchtime and in the late afternoon. It appeared to one of the neighbours that Leticia was always in her pyjamas. One neighbour said "Sometimes she looked sad but she often responded to the waves of those who were passing below and she smiled." Two neighbours contacted social services who discovered the girl was not registered with a local surgery or nursery. On October 13 two social workers visited the house and Wright reluctantly showed them up to Leticia's room. The little girl was found lying in her dressing gown on a bottom bunk, without any cover or bedding. Wright told the social workers she had wet the bed and the bedding was being washed. Leticia was quiet at first but became "more lively" claimed the social workers. "When asked to fetch her toys she came back with hair grabs and a pink cup" they reported. There were in fact no toys for Leticia in that house all she had was the hair grabs and pink cup to play with. The social workers claimed that she appeared to be of the appropriate size and weight for her age. Leticia was registered at the nursery the following Monday. After checking with the school that she had been registered the social services file on Leticia was closed. Leticia attended nursery for the next week but failed to turn up in the following weeks. Wright told the nursery, who phoned to ask why her daughter was no longer attending, that Leticia was ill. No one saw Leticia out of doors again, and after just one week at nursery she was soon back at her vigil at the bedroom window." Leticia was last seen standing at the window on Thursday morning, two days before her mother phoned for an ambulance.
Wright dialled 999 at 11.16pm on Saturday the 18th November 2006. She told the operator her daughter had fallen and was not breathing. The paramedic noticed many injuries in particular his eye was drawn to a large bruise in the pubic area. She was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary where doctors spent 40 minutes trying to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at 12.12am in the early hours of Sunday morning. Doctors who examined the body noted swelling to the forehead, bruising to the left eye and an area at the back of her head which felt like a "boggy mass". There were also sores and the signs of infection in her scalp.Home Office pathologist Peter Vanezis recorded the cause of death as multiple injuries. He noted the presence of multiple bruises of different ages to all parts of Leticia's body. Some were freshly inflicted within hours before death, but some could have been as much as two weeks old. Some of the fresh bruises lay over sites of earlier bruises. He detailed extensive bruising to the face and head as well as internal "blunt force" injuries. There is evidence to suggest her coming into forceful contact with a firm surface, such as a wall or a floor."The circular bruise in the pubic area, similar to a bruise on her right cheek, was consistent with a signet ring. Leticia also suffered a branding mark on the back of her left thigh, consistent with a cigarette lighter. There were two bite marks on her arms inflicted between two and four days prior to the death and later matched to McKenzie-Seaton. These injuries together with the pulling and loss of hair suggested that what happened to Leticia was not the result of a sudden loss of control, rather what happened was sustained, deliberate and brutal.
A forensic examination of the house found Leticia's blood on her clothes, the living room wall and a pair of fur-lined handcuffs retrieved from the kitchen. Clumps of the girls hair were found outside in the wheelie bin, along with 16 roach ends, consistent with the use of cannabis. A heartbreaking story of another little girl who died a cruel, painful and lonely death. A little girl who should have been at school enjoying playing and having fun, not looking out of a bedroom window watching the world pass her by.
RIP Leticia your safe from harm now. You have lots of other special little angels to play with.
Ambulance staff found Leticia at her home in Almondbury Bank, Huddersfield, late on the evening of Saturday November 18 2006. She was lying naked on the living room floor covered in bruises, both old and new, and she was not breathing.
In the months preceding her death Leticia was seen standing at her bedroom window. Two neighbours were so concerned they rang the social services. Two social workers from Kirklees Council visited the house and met with Leticia and her mother but days later her file was closed.
Nicholas Campbell QC (prosecutor), said: "The cause of death was multiple injuries and they were mainly forceful blows to Leticia's head and to her abdomen."These injuries had been inflicted between two and three days before she died.""She had suffered other injuries over a longer period than that.""Whoever inflicted the fatal injuries, those to the head and to the abdomen must have intended at the very least to cause her really serious harm."
Wright and McKenzie-Seaton had moved in together at the house in Huddersfield three months before Leticia's death. Neighbours said the pair received few visitors, the windows were rarely opened and the curtains were always drawn. It appeared that there was little family life going on behind the closed curtains. One indication of that lack of family life was noticed by a number of neighbours - the amount of time that Leticia spent in her bedroom. She could be seen on most week days standing in front of the closed curtain of her window, looking out into the street below. She was seen there at morning, at lunchtime and in the late afternoon. It appeared to one of the neighbours that Leticia was always in her pyjamas. One neighbour said "Sometimes she looked sad but she often responded to the waves of those who were passing below and she smiled." Two neighbours contacted social services who discovered the girl was not registered with a local surgery or nursery. On October 13 two social workers visited the house and Wright reluctantly showed them up to Leticia's room. The little girl was found lying in her dressing gown on a bottom bunk, without any cover or bedding. Wright told the social workers she had wet the bed and the bedding was being washed. Leticia was quiet at first but became "more lively" claimed the social workers. "When asked to fetch her toys she came back with hair grabs and a pink cup" they reported. There were in fact no toys for Leticia in that house all she had was the hair grabs and pink cup to play with. The social workers claimed that she appeared to be of the appropriate size and weight for her age. Leticia was registered at the nursery the following Monday. After checking with the school that she had been registered the social services file on Leticia was closed. Leticia attended nursery for the next week but failed to turn up in the following weeks. Wright told the nursery, who phoned to ask why her daughter was no longer attending, that Leticia was ill. No one saw Leticia out of doors again, and after just one week at nursery she was soon back at her vigil at the bedroom window." Leticia was last seen standing at the window on Thursday morning, two days before her mother phoned for an ambulance.
Wright dialled 999 at 11.16pm on Saturday the 18th November 2006. She told the operator her daughter had fallen and was not breathing. The paramedic noticed many injuries in particular his eye was drawn to a large bruise in the pubic area. She was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary where doctors spent 40 minutes trying to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at 12.12am in the early hours of Sunday morning. Doctors who examined the body noted swelling to the forehead, bruising to the left eye and an area at the back of her head which felt like a "boggy mass". There were also sores and the signs of infection in her scalp.Home Office pathologist Peter Vanezis recorded the cause of death as multiple injuries. He noted the presence of multiple bruises of different ages to all parts of Leticia's body. Some were freshly inflicted within hours before death, but some could have been as much as two weeks old. Some of the fresh bruises lay over sites of earlier bruises. He detailed extensive bruising to the face and head as well as internal "blunt force" injuries. There is evidence to suggest her coming into forceful contact with a firm surface, such as a wall or a floor."The circular bruise in the pubic area, similar to a bruise on her right cheek, was consistent with a signet ring. Leticia also suffered a branding mark on the back of her left thigh, consistent with a cigarette lighter. There were two bite marks on her arms inflicted between two and four days prior to the death and later matched to McKenzie-Seaton. These injuries together with the pulling and loss of hair suggested that what happened to Leticia was not the result of a sudden loss of control, rather what happened was sustained, deliberate and brutal.
A forensic examination of the house found Leticia's blood on her clothes, the living room wall and a pair of fur-lined handcuffs retrieved from the kitchen. Clumps of the girls hair were found outside in the wheelie bin, along with 16 roach ends, consistent with the use of cannabis. A heartbreaking story of another little girl who died a cruel, painful and lonely death. A little girl who should have been at school enjoying playing and having fun, not looking out of a bedroom window watching the world pass her by.
RIP Leticia your safe from harm now. You have lots of other special little angels to play with.
Perrin Barlow
Perrin Barlow died on the 16th July 2002 aged 9 months.
Perrin lived with his mother, Stephanie Horrocks, and her boyfriend, Mark McAndrew in a squalid city flat in Plymouth. The flat which Perrin lived in was visited 47 times in the 50 days prior to his death by social workers. Horrocks was a drug addict who worked as a prositute to fund her addiction. Neighbours reported seeing the "pasty" and "undernourished" faces of Horrocks two other young children pressed up against the window pleading to be let out, and said Perrin was so underweight he looked like a "doll". Neighbours became increasingly worried for Perrin after screaming, swearing and crying could be heard in the flat.
In January 2002, Perrin became increasingly ill from a chest infection and Horrocks was told to take him to hospital but refused claiming "she had other things to do". Over the next six months Perrin's health deteriorated rapidly. Neighbour Janet Pay said: "Perrin always looked ill and lifeless. He looked like a doll. I contacted social services and the police on several occasions and got no reply." Despite the reported widespread concern about the family, Perrin was left to die of a chest infection brought on by malnutrition and dehydration. One week before Perrin's death social worker Catherine Capron visited the flat in Plymouth but found nothing wrong except that he was a little underweight. Capron claimed his condition must have "deteriorated rapidly" after that.
Perrin was allowed to stay with his mother even though she had a previous conviction for neglecting an older child. Perrin's natural father died in a car crash shortly after he was born. Medical staff failed to tell social workers of evidence that Horrocks was using drugs and police did not pass on information about her working as a prostitute. The child welfare agency Cafcas should have appointed a guardian to carry out an assessment but had such a backlog of work that it defied a court order to do so. When medical aid finally arrived for Perrin, a paramedic said the home was one of the dirtiest places he had seen in nine years of service. Horrocks did not call an ambulance until Perrin had stopped breathing by which time it was too late to revive him. After his death in July critical executive summary report by Plymouth's Area Child Protection Committee later described a "fundamental failure to protect the child from significant harm". The report said Perrin had been born "extremely vulnerable, premature with symptoms of drug withdrawal" but that the focus of care was on "the needs of the adults".
It is understood no one was sacked or even disciplined after Perrin's death, although it is thought some staff were offered re-training. Perrin died from bronchopneumonia, which was triggered by dehydration and malnutrition, while on the child protection register and under an interim supervision order. Plymouth Council won a High Court battle to prevent an inquiry into its role in the death Perrin whose mother was jailed for cruelty. A judge quashed a coroner's call for an investigation into the role of "systems neglect" in the death of nine-month-old Perrin Barlow. His excuse:Mr Justice Wilson said that, while taking Perrin into care would have saved him, the council and other agencies had no reason to suspect there was a "real and immediate" threat to his life. Yes Mr Justice Wilson but perhaps it would of "again" highlighted the reoccuring failure of Child Welfare officials lack of communication...............
RIP Perrin Barlow your safe from harm now, you have lots of other special little angels to play with.
Perrin lived with his mother, Stephanie Horrocks, and her boyfriend, Mark McAndrew in a squalid city flat in Plymouth. The flat which Perrin lived in was visited 47 times in the 50 days prior to his death by social workers. Horrocks was a drug addict who worked as a prositute to fund her addiction. Neighbours reported seeing the "pasty" and "undernourished" faces of Horrocks two other young children pressed up against the window pleading to be let out, and said Perrin was so underweight he looked like a "doll". Neighbours became increasingly worried for Perrin after screaming, swearing and crying could be heard in the flat.
In January 2002, Perrin became increasingly ill from a chest infection and Horrocks was told to take him to hospital but refused claiming "she had other things to do". Over the next six months Perrin's health deteriorated rapidly. Neighbour Janet Pay said: "Perrin always looked ill and lifeless. He looked like a doll. I contacted social services and the police on several occasions and got no reply." Despite the reported widespread concern about the family, Perrin was left to die of a chest infection brought on by malnutrition and dehydration. One week before Perrin's death social worker Catherine Capron visited the flat in Plymouth but found nothing wrong except that he was a little underweight. Capron claimed his condition must have "deteriorated rapidly" after that.
Perrin was allowed to stay with his mother even though she had a previous conviction for neglecting an older child. Perrin's natural father died in a car crash shortly after he was born. Medical staff failed to tell social workers of evidence that Horrocks was using drugs and police did not pass on information about her working as a prostitute. The child welfare agency Cafcas should have appointed a guardian to carry out an assessment but had such a backlog of work that it defied a court order to do so. When medical aid finally arrived for Perrin, a paramedic said the home was one of the dirtiest places he had seen in nine years of service. Horrocks did not call an ambulance until Perrin had stopped breathing by which time it was too late to revive him. After his death in July critical executive summary report by Plymouth's Area Child Protection Committee later described a "fundamental failure to protect the child from significant harm". The report said Perrin had been born "extremely vulnerable, premature with symptoms of drug withdrawal" but that the focus of care was on "the needs of the adults".
It is understood no one was sacked or even disciplined after Perrin's death, although it is thought some staff were offered re-training. Perrin died from bronchopneumonia, which was triggered by dehydration and malnutrition, while on the child protection register and under an interim supervision order. Plymouth Council won a High Court battle to prevent an inquiry into its role in the death Perrin whose mother was jailed for cruelty. A judge quashed a coroner's call for an investigation into the role of "systems neglect" in the death of nine-month-old Perrin Barlow. His excuse:Mr Justice Wilson said that, while taking Perrin into care would have saved him, the council and other agencies had no reason to suspect there was a "real and immediate" threat to his life. Yes Mr Justice Wilson but perhaps it would of "again" highlighted the reoccuring failure of Child Welfare officials lack of communication...............
RIP Perrin Barlow your safe from harm now, you have lots of other special little angels to play with.
Deraye Lewis
Deraye Lewis died aged 3 on new years day 2005.
Deraye lived in Dunstable, Milton Keynes with his mother, Donna Humphrey, and her boyfriend, Nicholas Halling. Social workers in Bedfordshire were tipped off that Halling was abusing Deraye some six months before he was brutally murdered. Mistake number one came when they, social services, failed to pick up the signs of Halling's racist attacks, which included stubbing out cigarettes on the little Deraye's body and calling him racist names. Instead they believed the cover-up stories from terrified mum Donna, even when, according to sources, she presented herself "black and blue" with bruises from Halling's attacks on her. Three months before Deraye's death, Donna finally admitted Halling was beating her and fled to safety in Milton Keynes.
Mistake number two came when Bedfordshire social services omitted to pass the information on to Milton Keynes social services, though they stated clearly on her emergency housing application that she was 'fleeing domestic violence'.
This led to mistake number three – when Milton Keynes housing department failed to inform their own colleagues in social services that they had moved a vulnerable mum and child into a house in Bletchley's Osborne Street. Thus when Deraye's mother Donna rekindled the relationship with Halling, not one official noticed. The violence continued, on the eve of new year 2005 Donna Humprey called the police over an assult allegation against Halling (which she later withdrew). The police noticed on arrival that Deraye had been crying but could see no obvious injuries so they left unaware of the previous history of Deraye, Donna and Hallings. Deraye spent the rest of the day complaining of stomach ache and being sick and neighbours heard Halling shout: "That fucking baby is spoiling my life. We can't do anything without him spoiling things."Hours later, on New Year's Day morning 2005, Donna woke up to find the Deraye dying in bed beside her.
Deraye was taken to Milton Keynes hospital where he died later that day. More than 73 injuries were found on his tiny body. His bowel had been ruptured, his eardrum perforated, the surface of his brain bruised and his skin burned with cigarettes. Mr Justice Hughes told Halling as he ordered him to serve a minimum of 20 years, that It was 'abundantly clear' that Deraye had been treated with 'contempt, hostility and violence' over a period of at least a year. He said"You were intolerant, abusive, domineering and you hit him many times, if not habitually, on the head. "You called him names that were very offensive and racially charged."
Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes social services departments admitted they should have acted differently. A MK council spokesman said "Unmistakably there needs to be much clearer cross-border communication between different authorities in cases like this. All the agencies involved have learned lessons,"(yeah right how many times have we heard this!!!!!!!)It should also be noted that Halling was under the supervision of a probation officer at the time and had convictions dating back to when he was aged 11.
RIP Daraye Lewis your safe from harm now, you have lots of other special little angels to play with.
Deraye lived in Dunstable, Milton Keynes with his mother, Donna Humphrey, and her boyfriend, Nicholas Halling. Social workers in Bedfordshire were tipped off that Halling was abusing Deraye some six months before he was brutally murdered. Mistake number one came when they, social services, failed to pick up the signs of Halling's racist attacks, which included stubbing out cigarettes on the little Deraye's body and calling him racist names. Instead they believed the cover-up stories from terrified mum Donna, even when, according to sources, she presented herself "black and blue" with bruises from Halling's attacks on her. Three months before Deraye's death, Donna finally admitted Halling was beating her and fled to safety in Milton Keynes.
Mistake number two came when Bedfordshire social services omitted to pass the information on to Milton Keynes social services, though they stated clearly on her emergency housing application that she was 'fleeing domestic violence'.
This led to mistake number three – when Milton Keynes housing department failed to inform their own colleagues in social services that they had moved a vulnerable mum and child into a house in Bletchley's Osborne Street. Thus when Deraye's mother Donna rekindled the relationship with Halling, not one official noticed. The violence continued, on the eve of new year 2005 Donna Humprey called the police over an assult allegation against Halling (which she later withdrew). The police noticed on arrival that Deraye had been crying but could see no obvious injuries so they left unaware of the previous history of Deraye, Donna and Hallings. Deraye spent the rest of the day complaining of stomach ache and being sick and neighbours heard Halling shout: "That fucking baby is spoiling my life. We can't do anything without him spoiling things."Hours later, on New Year's Day morning 2005, Donna woke up to find the Deraye dying in bed beside her.
Deraye was taken to Milton Keynes hospital where he died later that day. More than 73 injuries were found on his tiny body. His bowel had been ruptured, his eardrum perforated, the surface of his brain bruised and his skin burned with cigarettes. Mr Justice Hughes told Halling as he ordered him to serve a minimum of 20 years, that It was 'abundantly clear' that Deraye had been treated with 'contempt, hostility and violence' over a period of at least a year. He said"You were intolerant, abusive, domineering and you hit him many times, if not habitually, on the head. "You called him names that were very offensive and racially charged."
Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes social services departments admitted they should have acted differently. A MK council spokesman said "Unmistakably there needs to be much clearer cross-border communication between different authorities in cases like this. All the agencies involved have learned lessons,"(yeah right how many times have we heard this!!!!!!!)It should also be noted that Halling was under the supervision of a probation officer at the time and had convictions dating back to when he was aged 11.
RIP Daraye Lewis your safe from harm now, you have lots of other special little angels to play with.
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