Can’t get over poor baby Preston

[Doximama2]

Not sure this is an AIBU, I never post on here but just feel I want to today. I am a 59 year old nana of 3 gourgous grandchildren including a one year old boy, the whole story in the need the last few weeks and especially this week about poor baby Preston that was tortured, abused and ultimately murdered by his 2 adoptive “fathers” has completely traumatized me. I am recovering from a big surgery 2 weeks ago so feeling emotional but this has really upset me so much that this was able to happen and that no one, not any social services, medics on visits to the hospital - one even with a broken elbow ffs - friends and family of these monsters realised what was happening and that Preston wasn’t a happy one year old. My grandson is always happy and smiling unless he is poorly so how did this go unnoticed? I had to turn the news off Monday when they showed this poor baby trying to sleep and this monster kept making him wake up.

im not naive, I have worked in public service including health and social services which I think is why I can’t comprehend how this was allowed to happen. It just feels like there is so many awful things in the world, and has made me so sad. 😭

Quite - and/or that he was very motivated to get into positions of authority, which isn’t uncommon with sadistic people or those with a sexual interest in children.

Not in every case, no. But in this case, where the child in question was already in the system and fostered, absolutely yes.

I genuinely don't understand, either, how Varley did manage to fool so many people for so long.
In the footage of him I've seen, he comes across as a horrible, aggressive, unstable individual.

I'm really struggling with the fact they pleaded not guilty and so countless more people had to sit through weeks of evidence which is incredibly scarring. Did they really think they would get away with it?

Valley collapses vomiting when sentenced so obviously the bastard does live in a delusional world where he thought he would fool people again, and it was a a shock to him that it didn't work.

I don't think I am a particularly vengeful person, but I hope these two suffer for the rest of their days. They would be better off dead though death is too good for them. There is no coming back from crimes like this, they are failed human beings and they can rot away in prison.

I can't bear to read everything about what that poor baby suffered, heaven knows what it must have been like for the jury.

At least there was a moment of horror for him.

Hopefully the first of many.

Apologies if this is a stupid question. But where were they both kept all that time before the trial?

I think I read that Varley was remanded to Durham. Not sure about McGowan-Fazakerley - I'm guessing they would have been sent to different places.

Thank you! I couldn’t find anything online.

I have experience in the prison sector and officers will not turn a blind eye as every time a murder is committed prisoner on prisoner it leads to questions and investigations about general safety of all prisoners and inspections. Not a good look for a prison. These people are being held by the State and the role of the State is to ensure their safety and welfare while in custody. Except personallly, I think their days are numbered. Sooner or later...

I think the general feeling is that the evil fucking bastard will get protected and yet darling little Preston was not afforded that, that's what makes people really angry...

I hope they feel terror and fear for the rest of the miserable lives...

I hope the State will protect them just as well as it protected Baby Preston from being harmed, abused and killed.

I know it's so awful beyond words, when I see his beautiful little happy face I just want to reach in to the photo, pick him up and cuddle him...silly I know

It's not silly at all. It's totally normal and understandable to wish you could save that beautiful baby.

Yes just picking up more of the horrors on these threads I hope so too.

I think if Varley were to be assaulted in prison he'd milk it for all it was worth, with publicity and compensation. Id much rather he disappears from public view but lives with the threat of it & watching over his shoulder forever.

The physical abuse is too unbearable to even think about. I find myself deeply upset by the mental abuse also, sleep deprivation and so on. The speed of events… They had no humanity, wasted no time, so to speak. It’s so terrible.

Than your expectations are unrealistic. No system can ever be perfect. If there are oversights and improvements that can be made, of course that must happen. If people were negligent they must be sanctioned. But the fact is that evil people will always exist who are highly motivated to hide what they are doing, and we will never be able to completely prevent that. It’s terrifying. But unfortunately true. Looking for scapegoats might make people feel better because it reassures them that completely safety can be guaranteed. But it’s not possible.

edited for spelling

Several hospital admissions. A broken elbow that is consistent with abusive treatment. The foster mother raising concerns about them blocking her access to Preston. Varley himself telling all and sundry that he had thoughts about hurting Preston. All this around a baby with new adopters who was already under SS scrutiny due to his background.
And you don't think opportunities were missed - really?!

Several hospital visits, not admissions, by brand new parents acting concerned and over protective is not unusual. D&V and a rash for a toddler is not unusual. Bruises in certain locations on a child learning to walk are not unusual. There are many children in the system where you could see something similar on their records and nothing bad has happened to them.

As far as we know, the comments Varley made were not passed on to professionals until after he died, so I'm not sure how you expected services to respond to them. The act they put on for professionals was as concerned parents seeking support and advice.

As the previous poster said, your expectations are wholly unrealistic. Adults have abused children in all sorts of systems where there are checks and balances in place. I can't imagine what sort of system you would set up to prevent it, I'd be interested to know what you imagine? CCTV in homes? Thought police? Routine body mapping/physical checks?

I hope they suffer in every way every single day if possible. Such a deeply distressing and disturbing case, Nick Ferrari said earlier that of all the cases during his long career this was the most despicable and that is saying something.

And the foster mother's concern, on top of everything else?