Another child killed due to mother's abusive partner

[JoanThursday1972]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12037929/Boy-nine-died-beaten-belts-held-cold-bathwater-court-hears.html

Not another one. Will we ever see the end of this type of story? I doubt it. Don't let the press DARE label this thug Alfie's "stepfather".

@JoanThursday1972 Was the death due wholly to the mother's partner or did the mother play a significant part in the death?

Howell, of Birmingham, has previously admitted child cruelty offences against other children.

The prosecutor Scott was 'no stranger to social services' because they had been involved with a previous partner and therefore 'knew what was expected of her in terms of co-operating with them'.

It just gets worse!

He has previous offensives against other children and she has had regular involvement with SS before he came along.

@slamfightbrightlight It was brilliant that they did report matters but I can't understand why the police or social services didn't do anything.

I wouldn't go and get the child on my own but I know my husband would. He wouldn't care if the man started on him.

Yes you are right.

I have not stopped thinking about some of the things that were said on that thread and hopefully all of it were from losers with nothing better to do than get a rise out of strangers on the internet.

Thank you for that.

According to the article, many reports were made to SS, especially from family members. He wasn't supposed to be sleeping at the property but she ignored that and let him back in. She's just as culpable, if not more, as him

If only everyone thought like you and actually rescued the child rather than just call social services and feeling that was enough

This is one of the nicest posts I have seen on MN for years.

Thank you for what you do, though I am sorry you have to do it this way. I understand.

Prison is too good for them.

How sad that Alfie wasn't able to whisper something to a trusted teacher. Perhaps he had been threatened not to do that.

I know of a case locally where a child whispered something to a TA in the morning. Both parents arrested before lunch and the child taken into care. Now safely and happily in long term foster care.

Rip little Alfie

@FourChimneys where the outcomes are dire. That isn't a happy ending unfortunately, just better than the one when the kid gets killed.

We need a massive overhaul of society but it is impossible.

The mother is culpable. She knew. She lied. And participated.

The family knew she had problems. Her own family. Where were they? They knew, didn't they? What did she do, this woman, to keep them away?

The wider family is never mentioned in these cases. Yet there's always evidence that they were concerned.

What sort of people were they?

"A young girl was in pain and crying which made the mother angry and attack her.

The amount of posters calling the young girl a brat and that she deserved it was sickening!"

Yep. It's fucking normal for loads of them. Fucking scumbags they are.

Where was Alfie's father?

She's just as bad if not worse. Whether she'd have done this alone though if she wasn't in a relationship is a question I guess.

Poor poor child - hopefully the other prisoners "deal" with them

I think safeguarding needs to be more visibly advertised - it wasn't until I worked in a school related rol I had any sort of safeguarding training

Remember the drink driving "think" adverts and others by them - they caught your attention

Maybe a similar one for the "it could happen here" safeguarding awareness - I know it won't help where children have been reported to social services but if it could get more children noticed it may just help

my friend works for social services. And in cases like this they SHOULD act, they should take that child away because, as she says, many of these parents just dont think there is anything wrong with whatever it is they are doing that is putting their child at risk - be it punishments, living with abusive men, using hard drugs, living is squallor and neglect. They dont know, because they have lived that way their whole lives and so its normal. If theyve been beaten and neglected themselves, there are likely brain development issues going on. In those circumstances they simply cannot safeguard their own children

The amount of tears I've shed over the past 6 months of stories like this. Absolutely breaks my heart. Poor darling boy, RIP.

As for those monsters, I wish them nothing but a lifetime of pain and misery.

Both without any anaesthetic or pain relief. And slowly.

This is happening literally every other week. Too interested in getting 🍆 that’s the problem. That’s why they so often not only condone such evil they mimic it.
If anyone put their hands on mine my face would be in a mug shot.
As for him If you don’t like other peoples kids don’t get with a women who has kids!!! It’s not that hard. You evil twisted bullying brute. 😡
RIP Alfie.

They have to be actually be human for “human” rights to apply.

That was such harrowing reading I couldn't get to the end. I have a nearly 8 year old dgs who is our world. I just can't even begin to imagine what that lovely little boy was feeling and going through. Once again neighbours etc noticed what was happening and social services involved but mother saying all the right things. If anyone hurt one hair on the head of my dgs I would not be able to control myself. Such evil wicked scum.

It's bloody naive isn't it? Have a contract that says "oh I won't have him in the house".

Cases like these, you wonder how the authorities live with themselves.

I hope that wee bairn has peace now.

I hope those two never know another minute of peace.

@Dwightlovesmichael with kindness, this is also what I mean. Rather than respecting my (and others) personal decision to remain single to protect my child, people feel the need to share own stories about how they or their neighbour's aunties cousin have a safe and successful blended family/good stepfather.

If it was more socially acceptable to remain a single mother, there would be less of these tragic murders. Sadly, very few people wait years to introduce partners and tragically, plenty wouldn't leave a partner who started abusing their child. The abusive usually starts when the woman has become vulnerable/financially dependent and has had the new man's child/children.

How sad that Alfie wasn't able to whisper something to a trusted teacher. Perhaps he had been threatened not to do that.

Given that the mother got together with boyfriend towards the end of 2019 and Alfie died in February 2021, it’s likely he wasn’t in school enough to get the chance. We’ve been quick to forget it was like in lockdown, but it probably also explains why no one was looking closely enough at whether the boyfriend was actually staying overnight.

Human rights have to apply to everyone or they're absolutely worthless.

Unfortunately, much as we might not like it, these two are human so human rights apply.

I don't understand how anyone can deliberately hurt a child though, let alone to the extent of cases like this.