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Original poster

Trigger warning- child killed by adoptive mother

36 replies

SellingBee · 02/05/2022 11:47

I literally can't get this case out of my head at the moment. I keep going back to the news articles. How did this happen? How did they get approved? How didn't they understand babies would cry? Why didn't they give the child back? Why didn't he step in when she admitted to violence?

It's so heartbreaking. That poor child. The poor birth mum. The poor professionals who will always wonder what they missed even if they did nothing wrong (which we obviously don't know yet).

OP posts:
Jellycatspyjamas · 03/05/2022 10:06

There may have been a financial motive as they didn't want to pay the £170 fee to end the placement. They thought it would be a waste of money.

Theres no fee to end a placement, it just ends. It sounds like they had no understanding of the needs of a child, much less a traumatised child and no emotional regulation. The early weeks and months after placement are incredibly hard for lots of reasons, they needed to be getting help long before she started hitting the child.

Its part of the danger in social workers not physically doing very regular home visits after placement - they don’t get to observe the developing relationships between parent and child, and can’t observe the child’s well-being.

LadyTwinkle · 03/05/2022 10:22

If there wasn't actually a fee to end the process then I imagine that it will come out in court. I think the prosecution were trying to point out that Leiland-James' life had no value to the Castle's even if they were wrong about the £170, as it's not an extortionate amount.

Here's a link to the live link for anyone wanting to follow the trial live updates Leiland Corkill trial day two

chouxpetitfilous · 03/05/2022 11:03

I haven't seen this reported anywhere. Do you have a link for a page that mentions this @LadyTwinkle?

I think @Jellycatspyjamas raises an important point about the need for in person visits from social workers to observe interactions between you and your child.

The texts between the parents are really hard to read.

LadyTwinkle · 03/05/2022 11:13

Here's an Article on the BBC website that mentions it @chouxpetitfilous

LadyTwinkle · 03/05/2022 11:16

This is taken directly from the article

The couple discussed being unable to cope with Leiland and giving him back to Cumbria County Council's care, but Mr Castle said he thought the £170 they would have to pay to do so would be a "waste of money".

chouxpetitfilous · 03/05/2022 11:41

Thanks for that link. Smile

Viviennemary · 03/05/2022 12:13

I also have been thinking sbout this extremely distressing case. All these cases are distressing but how on earth could those two with their mad attitudes and expectations of a 1 year old baby have got through the adoption process. As for the £170 fee I have also read this. Just how could they. Why not hand him back and say its not working. If they get a day less than 20 years its a scandal.

Original poster
SellingBee · 03/05/2022 16:21

I wonder if perhaps they had submitted their application to court, so had paid £170 court fee (as not all LAs cover this cost), and therefore thought it would have been 'money wasted' to withdraw and loose the fee. Utterly bizarre and unfathomable.

I wonder how often visits were conducted. Statutory visits are every week for the first week and then every 4 or 6 weeks (can't remember). Wonder if they were doing less or just video calls during covid?

OP posts:
LadyTwinkle · 03/05/2022 16:32

SellingBee · 03/05/2022 16:21

I wonder if perhaps they had submitted their application to court, so had paid £170 court fee (as not all LAs cover this cost), and therefore thought it would have been 'money wasted' to withdraw and loose the fee. Utterly bizarre and unfathomable.

I wonder how often visits were conducted. Statutory visits are every week for the first week and then every 4 or 6 weeks (can't remember). Wonder if they were doing less or just video calls during covid?

A lot of that was covered in court today. The social worker was on the stand.

Coffeelotsofcoffee · 03/05/2022 17:01

Yes I agree. It must have been relating to the court fee.
I do feel for the social worker.
I'm not sure there was anything glaringly alarming here and I'm not sure this tragedy could of been forseen

Scianel · 28/07/2022 12:56

Leiland-James' mother has now spoken to the BBC and given the situation from her perspective, and it is absolutely heartbreaking.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62290696

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