Peterborough toddler taken into care after ‘sad and shocking’ case of child neglect

A mother and her ex partner have been sentenced after they failed to care properly for a young boy in a “sad and shocking” case of child neglect.

A court heard the child had even been bitten by his mum’s former partner

The woman and her boyfriend, lived in Peterborough at the time but cannot be named for legal reasons.

The woman moved in with her then partner, along with the child, and for the next two months the child was not cared for adequately.

At one point, an ambulance was called for the youngster, who was thought to have fallen down the stairs while unsupervised. He was taken to A&E as a precaution and checks revealed he had suffered bruising but was not seriously hurt.

Enquiries revealed no stairgate was fitted at the boy’s home and despite social services recommending this, it was never done.

The following month, the boy was taken to hospital again by his mother and a doctor noted bruising to his body including his face, neck, chest, jaw, wrist, eye, scalp, feet, back and chin.

On a surprise visit by social services, bruising was spotted around the toddler’s left eye but it was claimed he had hurt himself by running into an open drawer the previous night.

A referral was made that same day by children’s social care, however, knowing there were concerns about her son, the woman took him away from Cambridgeshire and ignored calls from social workers.

The mother and son were traced by police in the early hours of the following day, and the youngster was taken to Peterborough City Hospital to be checked over.

A medical check revealed the three-year-old had substantial bruising under his left eye, a mark to his forehead, patches of hair missing from his head and bruising to his torso and legs. A bite mark was also discovered on his arm, which the woman’s boyfriend later admitted causing.

The following day, the child was placed with foster carers. A full skeletal x-ray revealed he had also suffered two fractured ribs. However, it could not be established whether these injuries had occurred while the boy was still living with his mother and her partner.

The pair pleaded guilty to assaulting, ill-treating or abandoning a child. The mother admitted the charge on the basis she was concerned at the number and nature of the marks she could see on her young son. She accepted that her parenting fell short of what was expected of her.

Her partner pleaded guilty on the basis that his behaviour fell short of the levels of care required by a small child, and that he failed to protect the boy on different occasions, including once when he bit him.

The pair were sentenced at Huntingdon Law Courts on Friday (8 April) where the boy’s mother was given a two-year community order and ordered to complete 40 hours unpaid work, a mental health treatment order and a 40-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Her former partner was also handed a two-year community order but must complete 70 hours unpaid work and a 35-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

DC Jim Huddlestone, from the force’s Child Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit (CAISU), said: “This sentencing concludes a long, sad and shocking case in which a little boy suffered a series of injuries over a short period of time - just two months - and was neglected by both defendants.

“The boy’s mother and her partner at the time were the people he relied upon to keep him safe and they failed to do this in every way.

“Thankfully the toddler is now in a safe and happy environment and thriving; he has the best wishes of the whole department for his future.

“I’d like to commend the actions of the health and social care professionals, the officers in our child protection department and Det Sgt Greg Stanley, all of whom have contributed to the child being safe.

“I would urge anyone who is concerned for the welfare of a child to report it. We all have a responsibility to protect children in our communities.”