Why didn't the relative phone the police?

[madamenoir]

really dont understand why police were not called

Lots of these murders and lack of care stories seem to ALWAYS involve illegal drug users.
It should be that once these people are identified are being harmfull to their children then these babies should be taken away and put up for adoption to other people who will love and care for them.
Once a druggie always a druggie, they never change and can't look after themselves, why does society think that they will become more responsible once they have a child?
Sorry if it sounds harsh but druggies are scum and instead of being locked up in prison they should be made to go cold turkey and properly treated for their addiction.
Most senseless attacks, robberies, murders and anti-social stuff is caused by illegal drugs.
We have an open prison down the road and there are always at least once a week, people dropping off drugs over the wall, i know as i've seen them doing it in plain daylight!
Treatment NOT locking up is the only way and if they can't keep off drugs then they should be locked up.
AB

Unbelievable isn't it! I heared on radio 2 news the other day that a couple starved their baby to death. She was 10lbs at 11 months old. They got five years! Lock them up and throw away the key or at least sterilize them! Social Services were aware of the family but didn't intervene.

disgusting! how can ANY parent treat a child like this? it makes my blood boil to think of all these scumbags wasting precious lives.

those parent are animals.

who would want to be a social worker though..

What I think the BBC fail to mention is that SS were actually due to go round on the day he died. They were just too slow. Here

I haven't been able to read a local paper for weeks, this is all over it.

re: the 'who wants to be a social worker'. my sister works for a health centre in London - (cant say more than that), and they deal with the most horrific child abuses ever. The sick levels of staff and stresses are enormous. For individuals dealing with cases such as these, is very waring and emotional. They are unsung hero's. Resource and budgets are minimal and they are expected to perform mostly out of loyalty. It really is no wonder things get overlooked. The 'care' professions of this country are sadly under-funded and under-supported by the government; not only for children but for the elderly.

Regardless of how the system or the law is SUPPOSED to operate, there still exists an element of viewing those who attempt to make referrals as 'interfering busy-bodies' with some sort of grudge. Having experienced this myself then completing most of a social work degree (I left the course partly because the system never bloody changes)- I can honestly say that the system never changes and I honestly do not think it ever will. Sadly, there will always be cases like this

Was talking to a friend who is a neonatal nurse this morning. She had four babies to look after in SCBU last night (four to each nurse, that is). All four were in because of drug dependency - born addicts. Terribly sad. Apparently the doctors can only give them a small dose of morphine but it just isn't enough to relieve the pain of withdrawal, the poor babies were crying all night and nothing would comfort them.

She is of the opinion that babies should just be removed from drug addicts as soon as they are born and place with foster carers until they can be adopted. Not sure I agree as you have to take account of individual circumstances, but I can see why someone who has her experience would think that.

This kind of thing makes me angry. I just wish there was some kind of intelligence test you had take before becoming a parent to stop these idiots bringing an innocent child into a horrific situation like that. It's every parents responsiblility to make sure their children are not exposed to this kind of life. Really upsetting.

I'm sorry but I feel people with drug problems should not be allowed to keep their babies - they don't provide a level of care for themselves how on earth are they going to keep to the high standards a newborn baby demands and by all human rights, must have?
Re. this case, to that monster I have one suggestion;

lethal

injection

I disagree. I think you have to look at each case on its merits. My ex's sister was a heroin addict with two children. She tried to get clean a number of times and managed to do so eventually, but I don't think she would ever have done so if they had taken her children away. What else would have motivated her? But it depends on the drug and the level of addiction...

I'm glad she got clean. It's good to hear a happy ending for once.

I think it's the other way round though - what more motivation could you have for NOT developing a drug habit than to have kids looking to you as a parent?

I think if that doesn't stop you then you are in big trouble and need help from outside agencies who are not afraid to make decisions based on putting the childs welfare first.

In her case, she was a drug addict before she had children, unfortunately, so NOT becoming an addict because she had children was not a choice open to her... But for someone who was not already a drug addict, I agree.

princessmel, I think the baby was taken into care straight away and is with foster parents.

Chirpygirl, this is local to me too - know what you mean about not being able to read the paper.