To be incredulous that this little boy wasn't protected (warning - distressing news coverage)

[LEMisdisappointed]

news article

I am so angry - yet another child tortured and murdered by his "parents". The school had written comments in the "concerns" book, yet still this poor little mite was starved and beaten systematically over a period of time. Do professionals become numb to childrens needs? Does no one check FFS????

My DD is a healthy child (thankfully) and never taken to the GP as she hardly ever gets sick, the only times she has been in the past few years are for injuries - nothing serious apart from biting through her tongue (ouchie), another time she burnt her hand and more recently a horse trod on her toe. The nurse commented that she was "accident prone" and asked if we had a social worker Fair enough actually, although DP was offended, although no follow up action taken. It looks worse i guess because they are the only notes on her medical record since she was a baby (shes 8 now). Everyone talks about "safeguarding" but it appears that they are just paying lip service to it and children are suffering either through unintentional neglect or willful cruelty.

I don't understand, after the whole Baby P thing that this can still slip through the net

[handcream]

I did follow some of this case. They were clearly uneducated monsters so all this talk about being clever and lying their way out of incidents just doesnt hold true. The jury found them guility in a couple of hours.

[PinkSippyCup]

It is a sickening case, that poor boy

Just wanted to jump in and say (without pointing finger, because we don't yet know who was at fault) but in response to Brian saying it was outside the schools authority to contact the police, that's crap.

Anyone can make an anonymous call to the police. The sad fact is that this actually gets more action than reports from the school.

[handcream]

I agree Mrs Dever but the laws are too much on the side of the parents (or various partners of the mother). We make excuse after excuse for these people and then this happens.

[LEMisdisappointed]

I actually don't think the teachers are to blame, the system that seems to put a lot of "procedure" and form filling down in terms of child protection is what has let this child down.

[FreudiansSlipper]

uneducated people can still be very good manipulative liars they obviously were

the jury had all the evidence around this case and they were not lied to by the parents that is why they found them guilty so quickly

[handcream]

Are you making excuses for them MrsDeve? And trying to justify why this poor boy wasnt taken away from them.

The jury saw right through them even though the mother claimed to be a 'victim'

[scottishmummy]

You see this is how it goes on mn,significant incident and folk want enhanced powers,less parental rights
Fast forward few mn weeks,and its business as usual ,sw are intrusive,too much power
Cue some posts of dont trust em sw

[PrettyKitty1986]

I have a fairly slender 3 year old who is 2.5 stone.

I can't even imagine what a 4 year old who was only 1.5 stone looked like. How teachers, neighbours, anyone who saw him every day didn't notice how ill he was I can't even imagine.

[UpTheFRIGGinDuff]

The teachers could have fed him everyday, His parents were force feeding him salt to make him throw up.

The care system/SS are overwhelmed and understaffed.
Some people are evil bastards who are not fit to have care of a child.

That is why DC like this continue to be murdered in their own homes.

Not because of teachers failing to report.

[LEMisdisappointed]

I dont think any one person is at fault here, or even any one organisation, but it is blatantly obvious that the system in place at the moment is simply not working and that is not good enough!!

[PinkSippyCup]

I'm talking generally. If you have concerns about a child then you can contact the police.

[countingmyblessings]

So incredibly horrific & sad. RIP Daniel, sweet little angel xx

[thebody]

of course MrsD isn't excusing the parents. noone is.

Brian is wrong here. I work in a school and have contacted police re a pupil as a concerned citizen. anyone can.

[handcream]

My DM feeds some of the children 5-6 years old's as she still volunteers at her old Inner London school. Mothers are still in bed or on some occasions there isnt any food in the child's house! She has reported some concerns. At her age (80) she just doesnt concern herself who she might 'upset'. If something worries her she will see the head.

[AudrinaAdare]

Thank you Mrs DV. I would also know what else, short of kidnapping the child and preventing the physical attack which killed him, people expected the teachers and social workers to have done. The neglect was known about and presumably was in the system.

I have provided money and food for children and would have been sacked if it were known. I have made anonymous phone calls to police and social services about pupils. Unprofessional. Going to the press - impossible and rightly illegal.

I have had a fucking memo telling me to walk a particular child round to meet her mother at the gate without being told why and almost forgot because the Head Teacher neglected to think it was important to tell me that this child had been repeatedly raped by someone who who likely to pick her up and police and S.S were investigating. From the casual tone and the fact that it was delivered by a pupil I assumed it was because her mother might be a few minutes late!

This has really affected me and I have been on threads discussing it since it was first known. Daniel was so like my little DS. So helpless.

[handcream]

You seem to want to have reasons/excuses as to why this happened Mrs Devere. It happened because our system is not fit for purpose. These people were on the radar yet wasnt removed.

[eyebrowsfurrowed]

this hell took place in my city. I am completely wilted by what has happened.

i FEEL SO SICKENED speaking as a completely liberal person I've come to a point where surely these completely morally corrupt (devoid of love) people surely have no chance of rehabilitating themselves (that's definitely NOT the right terminology). But honestly, how do new parents hear this shit and just go on with normal lives. I do believe in prison as a tool for self correction but 4 years of torture to her own son? I don't know what I would to her given the chance...

[VitoCorleone]

Absolutley heartbreaking. That poor little boy, starving to death, being beaten and force fed salt, what kind of sick motherfucker could do that to a little child.

I hope they both get the fucking shit beaten out if them in jail on a daily basis.