Baby dies after ‘abuse by his mother, 17, and her partner’

Almost two years after Baby P, child protection is back under spotlight
12 April 2012

A baby boy has died after suffering suspected abuse at the hands of his teenage mother and her partner.

Police said the four-month-old child, who has not been named, was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital last Thursday, but died there on Saturday morning.

The baby's 17-year-old mother, from Islington, and her partner, 19, were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. Detectives from the Met's Child Abuse Investigation Command are investigating the death after staff at the hospital alerted police last week.

A post-mortem examination is now due to take place to establish the cause of death.

Islington council refused to confirm if the baby was known to social services. However, sources said the mother was on a special programme run by Islington Primary Care Trust in conjunction with the local authority which offers support to vulnerable families.

The Family Nurse Partnership is a pilot scheme operating in the borough, which identifies young, vulnerable first-time mothers who are in need of assistance to help them through pregnancy and the first few years of motherhood.

It is a joint project between the Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families that sees nurses visit parents from early pregnancy until the child is two years old. The project is run by primary care trusts and local authorities at 20 sites across the country.

A spokesman for Islington council refused to say whether or not social services were involved in identifying potential mothers for the scheme, or whether mothers under the age of 18 in the borough were automatically referred to social services.

In a statement, the council said: "Islington council has been made aware of the death of a four-month-old baby boy. We are supporting the Metropolitan Police with their investigation.

"Agencies, including the council, are currently making an assessment of whether a serious case review should be carried out. That decision will be made by the Local Safeguarding Board."

Health visitors and social workers are under legal obligations to alert the authorities if they suspect a child is being mistreated.

A spokesman for Islington PCT said: "We were deeply saddened to hear of the death of a four-month-old baby from Islington. This is a great tragedy for all involved.

"The baby's death is currently being investigated by the police and we will do all that we can to assist with their enquiries, alongside our local partners."

The teenage suspects were released on bail until next month, pending further enquiries. Their arrests come almost two years after 17-month-old Baby P died at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger while on the at-risk register of Haringey council.

Baby Peter had suffered 50 injuries despite receiving 60 visits from social workers, doctors and police during the final eight months of his life.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said of the investigation in Islington: "On 23 July Great Ormond Street Hospital made police aware of a four-month-old boy with injuries.

"That day a 17-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of GBH. They were later bailed to return to a central London police station in August pending further enquiries by detectives from the Child Abuse Investigation Command. On 25 July the child died at hospital."

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