"Baby Victoria's body was found in a shopping bag in Brighton in 2023, after her parents concealed her birth and went on the run in an attempt to avoid contact with social services. Marten and Gordon, a convicted rapist, were both sentenced to 14 years for gross negligence manslaughter last year. The review, chaired by Sir David Holmes, sought to identify missed safeguarding opportunities, and to learn lessons from what the review called the "extreme case" of baby Victoria's death."
"Family court documents show how over the years the couple moved around the country to avoid contact with social services when Marten was pregnant, refused antenatal and newborn healthcare and repeatedly missed contact sessions with their children once they were in care. Given the repeating pattern of concealed pregnancies and child removals in the family, the authorities should have anticipated another pregnancy was likely, the review found."
"There is no legal duty for a woman to disclose her pregnancy. The report suggested social services would have had an earlier opportunity to intervene had Gordon, a registered sex offender, been required to share details of his partner's pregnancy with the authorities. The review also suggested better support was needed for parents whose children are taken into care."
Baby Victoria was found dead in Brighton in 2023 after her parents concealed her birth and evaded social services. Marten and Gordon received 14-year sentences for gross negligence manslaughter. The couple repeatedly moved to avoid contact with social services, refused antenatal and newborn healthcare, and missed contact sessions after children entered care. Repeated concealed pregnancies and child removals created a foreseeable risk that another pregnancy would occur. No legal duty exists for a woman to disclose pregnancy; requiring registered sex offenders to share partner pregnancy details could enable earlier intervention. Support gaps exist for parents after child removal.
Read at www.bbc.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]