Mother of children killed in Nappy Valley tragedy stays in hospital as inquest is told her babies were suffocated

 
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17 May 2012
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Two babies allegedly murdered by their mother in south London’s “Nappy Valley” were suffocated, an inquest heard today.

Fourteen-month-old Lily Boots and her 10-week-old brother Mason were found unconscious by their father when he returned home from work last week.

Their mother Felicia Boots, 34, who is believed to be suffering from post-natal depression, was arrested at the family’s £1.2 million semi-detached house in Wandsworth and later charged with two counts of murder.

At inquest openings for Lily and Mason today, Westminster coroner’s court heard that the provisional cause of death for both children was asphyxia.

Mrs Boots, 34, is being held in a psychiatric hospital under the Mental Health Act. She was said to be too ill to attend court.

The children were found unconscious in a bedroom by their investment banker father Jeff Boots, 34, when he returned home from work on May 9. Paramedics failed to revive them.

The bodies of Lily Skye Boots and Mason Godfrey Robert Boots, who were both born in Tooting, were formally identified at Great Ormond Street Hospital by their father on Tuesday.

Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox adjourned the inquest until November 5 to allow the police investigation to continue. Detective Inspector Paul Clack, from the Met’s major investigation team, part of the child abuse investigation command, told the inquest: “They [the police and London ambulance service] found the mother of the children, Felicia Boots, who was present at the address, and the father, Mr Jeffrey Boots, together with the two children Lily Skye and Mason Godfrey, who were found to be dead in the bedroom of the address.

“Mr Boots had returned home from work and found the situation.” Outside court, Mr Clack told the Standard that Mrs Boots was charged with murder after advice from the Crown Prosecution Service. He said: “It is fair to say she was suffering from mental illness. She had a psychiatric evaluation before being interviewed and was judged fit to be interviewed.”

Stylist and designer Mrs Boots, 34, who moved from Canada with her husband a few years ago, is believed to be suffering from post-natal depression. She is also understood to have had treatment after the birth of her daughter. Friends said she had again appeared depressed in recent weeks and was also said to be struggling to cope with the suicide of her brother Scott Sinclair in Toronto four years ago.

Her parents Dave and Debbie, who are devout Jehovah’s Witnesses, are understood to have travelled frequently to London to help their daughter with her depression.

Mrs Boots will appear at the Old Bailey on August 10.

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