Excerpt from Salford Advertiser:
A BOY of 15 has been convicted of the murder of a toddler he was babysitting.

The killer can now be named as Karl Roger McCluney after the judge lifted reporting restrictions which banned him from being identified.

Two-year-old Demi Leigh Mahon had injuries in 68 different areas of her body after she was punched, kicked, and bitten by the teenager. The child suffered massive brain damage, and died two days after the attack.

Manchester Crown Court was told McCluney had a mental disorder and symptoms included fighting, bullying, temper tantrums, and severe disobedience. The toddler had been left with McCluney for about 90 minutes at a flat in Eccles while her mother went to collect child benefit.

McCluney was annoyed she would not be quiet and after brutally attacking her, watched TV and did not get help, as she lay unconscious on a mattress.

Read the rest of the article at Salford Advertiser’s website here

The Independent Serious Case Review released today says there were failures by Salford council, health professionals, and police in responding to the risk Demi was exposed to.

The conclusion stems from the fact that no professional involved with Demi and her mother knew where they were living when she died, or ‘had any knowledge’ of the boy who killed her.

However the report – which refers to Demi as ‘Child D – says: “There were a number of times when the Children’s Services should have started a child protection investigation but did not. There were also key failings to take action or communicate effectively by the police and NHS services.”

Soon after the birth of Demi it became apparent that her mother had reverted to misusing drugs and alcohol and she was convicted of drug offences last year.

After the mother was admitted to hospital with a drugs overdose there was an opportunity to focus on the impact on her daughter but, the report says: “There was no overview of Demi’s circumstances taken at this time.”

Ann Marie (Demi’s mother) failed to attend medical appointments but no account was taken by health professionals that this was evidence of poor parenting practices – and this was not passed on to Children’s Services.

Professionals focused too much on Ann Marie’s needs and not Demi’s. Children’s Services began to get phone calls from members of the public. They were concerned that Demi was being left with a number of different carers, that she was crying a lot when in the flat and her mother was unable to care for Demi.

Over on Councillor Warmisham’s personal blog, the following statement is available:

Councillor John Merry, leader of Salford City Council said: “The death of any child is a dreadful thing to happen and my heartfelt sympathies are with the family.

“I was anxious that this serious case review was robust enough to draw out where we could do better. I am satisfied it does that, highlighting a number of child protection concerns.

“I do not want to make excuses: it is rightly critical and we should all have done better, but the report’s sad conclusion is that this tragedy could not have been foreseen and it could not have been prevented.”

The rest of the statement can be read here

Comment: Once again we fail to learn the lessons from previous cases, in 2000 Victoria Climbié was abused and murdered by her guardians in London and more recently, the Baby P case in Haringey.  A report into that case identified ten main failures which they said raised ‘serious concerns in relation to safeguarding of children and young people in Haringey’.

Again the same problems resurface; it’s easy to blame individual social workers, but they are only as good as the information they have to hand and the training & management they are given. If procedures are found wanting and oversight is non-existent, it’s the heads at the top that should roll.

Jill Baker, Strategic Director of Children’s Services at Salford Council and Councillor John Warmisham (Lead Member for Children’s Services) have clearly shown to have failed in their duties. If Councillor Merry wishes to remain as the Leader of our Council, he should now show some effective leadership.

I join Salford Liberal Democrat Leader, Councillor Norman Owen in calling for both Jill Baker and John Warmisham to be replaced.