A YOUNG BARNSLEY MOTHER TRIED TO SMOTHER HER 19 MO

A YOUNG BARNSLEY MOTHER TRIED TO SMOTHER HER 19 MONTHS-OLD
BABY WITH A T-SHIRT WHILE POLICE AND HOSPITAL STAFF WATCHED THE
INCIDENT ON A VIDEO SCREEN, A COURT HEARD TODAY (FRI).

BUT BEFORE THE CHILD LOST CONCIOUSNESS OFFICERS AND STAFF

RUSHED IN AND GRABBED THE WOMAN.

A DECISION TO OBSERVE THE BOY IN HOSPITAL WAS TAKEN WHEN
DOCTORS BECAME SUSPICIOUS ABOUT HIS CONDITION, SAID MRS
BARBARA MILLS, QC, PROSECUTING AT SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT IN LONDON.

THE BABY HAD BEEN ADMITTED TO A LONDON HOSPITAL AFTER SUFFERING

ATTACKS OF CYANOSIS, WHERE THE CHILD TURNS BLUE.

‘SUSPICIONS WERE AROUSED WHEN IT WAS REALISED THE ATTACKS ONLY

OCCURED WHEN THE MOTHER WAS PRESENT,’ SAID MRS MILLS.

POLICE WERE ALERTED AND A HIDDEN VIDEO CAMERA WAS INSTALLED IN

THE CHILD’S ROOM.

‘THE DEFENDANT WAS SEEN SMOTHERING THE BOY TWICE DURING THE

COURSE OF HALF AN HOUR,’ ADDED COUNSEL.

THE 24 YEAR OLD MOTHER TOLD POLICE: ‘I DID IT OUT OF

DESPARATION.

IT WAS A SHOUT FOR HELP.

I WANTED SOMEBODY TO FIND OUT

BECAUSE I KNEW I WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG BUT I COULDN’T STOP

MYSELF.

‘
OFFICERS WERE TOLD BY MEDICAL EXPERTS THAT IF THE MOTHER
HELD THE CLOTH OVER THE CHILD’S FACE FOR MORE THAN 40 SECONDS THEY

SHOULD INTERVENE, THE COURT HEARD.

.

AT 60 SECONDS THE CHILD WOULD LOSE CONCIOUSNESS AND LACK
OF OXYGEN TO THE BLOOD COULD CAUSE BRAIN DAMAGE.

THE FIRST ATTACK ON THE CHILD TOOK 10 SECONDS BUT THE NEXT

LASTED 41 SECONDS.

‘THE BOY WAS SEEN TO STRUGGLE VIOLENTLY,’ SAID COUNSEL.

‘IMMEDIATELY STAFF RUSHED IN AND STOPPED HER.

‘
THE MOTHER-OF-THREE HAD A LONG HISTORY OF SUFFERING,

INCLUDING A SUICIDE ATTEMPT, THE COURT WAS TOLD.

MRS MILLS SAID THE MOTHER FIRST STARTED TO SMOTHER HER
BABY WHEN HER HOME SITUATION DETERIORATED.

HER HUSBAND BECAME
ILL AND THE THREE CHILDREN BECAME HANDFUL.

THE BOY WAS SENT TO A LONDON HOSPITAL AND UNDERWENT
EXTENSIVE TESTS.

HE WAS PLACED IN AN INTESIVE CARE UNIT.

‘THREE

EPISODES OCCURED IN THE HOSPITAL,’ COUNSEL CONTINUED.

‘ONE WAS SO

SEVERE THEY THOUGHT THE BOY WAS CLOSE TO DEATH.

‘
IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE MOTHER WAS SUFFERING FROM
‘MUNCHHAUSEN SYNDROME’ BY PROXY WHERE THERE IS NO INTENTION TO KILL,
MERELY A NEED TO DRAW THE ATTENTION OF PEOPLE TO A PARTICULAR
PROBLEM.

PLACING HER ON PROBATION FOR THREE YEARS WITH A
CONDITION TO SUBMIT HERSELF FOR TREATMENT, JUDGE DEREK CLARKSON SAID:

‘IF I THOUGHT YOU WERE MOVED SIMPLY BY WICKEDNESS, CRUELTY,

MALEVOLENCE AND ILL-WILL IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO PASS A HEAVY PRISON

SENTENCE ON YOU.

AND I WOULD DO IT.

‘BUT ANYONE WHO HAS HAD A CAREFUL LOOK AT THIS CASE
WOULD SEE THAT THERE WAS NO MALEVOLENCE ON YOUR PART.

‘

THE COURT HEARD THE MOTHER’S OTHER TWO CHILDREN ARE NOW

LIVING WITH THEIR FATHER AND THE HAS SINCE BEEN FOSTERED.

THE MOTHER ADMITTED CAUSING GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM WITH

INTENT ON MAY 28 THIS YEAR AND TWO CHARGES OF ATTEMPTING TO CAUSE

GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM ON JUNE 7.

SHE HAD DENIED A SIMILAR OFFENCE ON MAY 9 AND THE CHARGE

WAS NOT PROCEEDED WITH.

ENDS