Chelsea Brown

Chelsea Brown died aged two-and-a-half in 1999

The death of Chelsea Brown again called into question the intervention of social services in cases where children are known to be at risk.

Father Robert Brown was given a life sentence for what police have described as one of the "worst cases of child abuse they have ever seen". The two-year-old had been tortured and shaken to death by a father who had a history of violence towards children.
Derbyshire's director of social services, Bruce Buckley, acknowledged that his staff made errors in the case. "The workers were concerned and that is why they were visiting regularly but clearly on this occasion we did not make the right decisions," he said. There were Warnings Chelsea was considered at risk from her father as soon as she was born, and she was immediately put on the child protection register. But despite visiting the family at least 27 times in just over three months, the authorities decided it was safe to leave her with her father and mother Maria Brown, of Kirk Hallam, Derbyshire.
Neighbours said they warned social services that Chelsea was at risk after hearing Brown's outbursts of temper and the child's crying. Stephen Baker (a neigbour) said "The only retort we got was 'if you hear anything again give us another ring' and that was as far as it went." Another neighbour Bob Kemp said: "Someone should have picked up on it, end of story. To me it was totally preventable."
Even after a doctor suspected abuse when she noted bruises on Chelsea, the child was still not removed from her parents' care. Just over three weeks later Chelsea was dead after she was violently shaken by her father. Brown had a string of convictions, including actual bodily harm for slapping his 16-month-old nephew and another when he dragged him through the street. In February 1998 he was placed on probation for threatening to kill his own mother and a social worker. Despite his violent background, Derbyshire social services decided to allow Chelsea to return to her parents after her paternal grandmother said she could no longer care for the girl. "At the time Chelsea went back no-one could have predicted the outcome based on Mr Brown's previous behaviour," said Mr Buckley.
The couple by then had another daughter, 17-month-old Courtney, who Brown tried to blame for causing some of the injuries to Chelsea. Hilary Owen, the author of an independent report into the case, told a press conference that Brown had been able to mislead professionals about the cause of many of Chelsea's injuries. She added: "There was increased concern about Chelsea in the time she was living with her parents and removal was an active consideration in the last few weeks of her life."
Mr Buckley refused to discuss whether the principal social worker in the case, Norma McDevitt, would be disciplined.

Authorities agreed in 2000 that the many lessons learnt from the loss of Chelsea Brown and Victoria Climbie should this time guarantee that no child dies in such tragic and violent circumstances again.

My question
So why "authorites" have many more children died similar deaths since?

To sum up:

Chelsea Brown, two, was battered to death by her father. Robert Brown, who was jailed for life for her murder, had a criminal record for violence against children. Her mother, Maria Brown, was jailed for 18 months for child cruelty. The girl's social worker, Norma McDevitt, visited the family 27 times in the 10 weeks before her death. She took Chelsea to a paediatrician who said that six out of nine areas of bruising "had no plausible explanation" and at least one was deliberately inflicted. These findings should have triggered police involvement and a multi-agency case conference under Derbyshire county council's procedures, but neither happened

Lauren Wright

Lauren Wright was born on the 16th July 1993 and died on the 6th May 2000 aged 6.Lauren died at the family home on the 6th of May 2000 after she was struck so hard in the stomach, by her step-mother, that her digestive system collapsed. At the time of her death she had more than 60 bruises on her emaciated body.Medical experts told that the injuries sustained by the little girl were like those suffered by somebody who had been involved in a serious car accident.
Tracey Wright (step-mother), 31 and Craig Wright (father), 38, both of Welney, near Kings Lynn, were both convicted of wilful neglect and manslaughter following a four week trial at Norwich Crown Court.Tracey Wright's treatment of little Lauren was described as "very near the top of the scale of inhumanity" by one of the police officers who led the investigation. Lauren Wright was brutally killed after being let down by every single agency responsible for protecting her in the months before her death.
Two witnesses, one a trained social worker, described Lauren as looking "like an advert for the NSPCC" in the weeks leading to her death, while others told the court she looked like a "ragamuffin" and a "waif".One neighbour watched as Tracey shouted obscenities at Lauren in the street, punching her in the head and walking off, leaving the little girl a crumpled heap on the ground and only to get up on feet with silent tears and run after her step-mother.
Tracey Wright was convicted of killing her six-year-old stepdaughter and was sentenced to 15 years in jail. Tracey Wright would be eligible for parole after saving half of the 15 year term. Jurors heard that Lauren had spent much of her life under the umbrella of social workers.Lauren had left the care of her natural mother Jennifer Bennett at the age of three following allegations of neglect. She had begun living with her father and Tracey Wright about two years before her death.
In the months before her death her bruises and declining physical condition was noted by doctors, teachers and social workers.Social services, plus education and health authority officials admitted that serious mistakes were made in the way Lauren was cared for. One social services manager (David Wright) resigned as a result of her death. Please all remember Lauren a beautiful yet tragically uncared for child.

A special message for the gods special angels

Your a special little spirit, the all great master said. As he gently caressed the hair of the little spirit's head. You need to go to earth to spend some time you know. A place I send most spirits to be tested, to learn, to grow.

The little spirit in sadness, slowly bowed her little head and from her eye a tear did steal and down his cheek it shed.Dont you fret now little one, I wont let you stay too long. I'll bring you back to help me here, you'll hardly know you've gone.

I need to test the people who will have you in their care to see if they appreciate how precious you are there.Your my choicest little spirit. your the apple of my eye, and he wiped the tear and gently kissed his little spirit good-bye.

When he saw how you were treated, his special little one, he sent down all his angels just to bring you safely home.

Heidi Luise Koseda

Time and time again we hear of the tragic and brutal loss of a young defenceless child. I have created this blog to remember those young children, they are often forgotten. These vulnerable children have been cruely let down by not just the parents/carers who they were entrusted to, but by the Child Welfare System in place in this country.I call for the radical reform of our countrys Child Welfare System and the laws in place to protect children from neglect and abuse. Too many times have the words "Lesson's will be learnt" been spoken.I will start my blog with the sad story of Heidi Koseda, why? because she is close to my heart.Heidi Koseda would have been celebrated her 28th birthday on saturday gone, but due to horrific parental neglect and abuse and the appalling failings of Health Workers, Social Services and the Police her life was cut short.Heidi Koseda was born on the 16th February 1980 it is thought she died during the month of November or December 1984, a precise date of her death cannot be given for reasons which will become evident in the story of her sad life.For the first two years of Heidi’s life she lived with her mother and natural father, Rosemary and Henry Koseda. These first two years of Heidi’s life were thought to have been normal and uneventful until her parents relationship broke down and they separated in October 1982. Henry koseda never saw his daughter alive again.Soon after the departure of Henry Koseda another man moved in, Nicholas Price, Koseda and Price had known each other from when they were at school. Price was said to have dominated Koseda from the offset, according to Koseda’s mother Mrs Rickard, who stated that Koseda’s mental health deteriorated rapidly.In 1983 Koseda gave birth to a son, James, the father being Price. During Koseda’s confinement in hospital the staff found Price to be unusually disturbed. Koseda failed to take Heidi to her 3 year check up this resulted in eight visits being made by Health Visitors to try to persuade her to attend the check up. The last time Heidi was seen alive by medical staff was on the 5th January when she accompanied her mother and half brother for his infant immunisation.Mrs Rickard (Heidi’s grandmother) last saw Heidi during Christmas 1983 and at the end of this visit it was noticed that Heidi did not want to return home to her mother and step father. Mrs Rickard was supporting the family financially at the time; during the new year of 1984 she withdrew her financial support. The result of this financial withdrawal was that Price refused Heidi and her grandmother any further contact. Mrs Rickard never saw her granddaughter alive again.In March 1984 Koseda fell pregnant again; the family withdrew all contact with family members from either side and became isolated in their flat. Koseda refused any medical help with the pregnancy. Health Visitors tried calling and left a card, the card was returned with “not known” written across it. The Health Visitors wrongly assumed that the family had moved away.Between January 1984 and July 1984 Heidi was only seen by outsiders who were neighbours in the block of flats where they lived. Heidi was seen frequently playing with another little girl, witnesses later claimed that Heidi was always hungry and had many bruises to her arms and legs.New neighbours moved in below the family in August 1984 and they stated that they never saw Heidi; they also stated that they heard persistent banging and crashing all evening into the early hours followed by screaming and crying.The neighbour called the NSPCC on the 3rd September to voice her concerns. On the 10th September a health visitor called at the flat and was told that Heidi was sleeping, she did not attempt to see the child. During September the health visitor attempted to make three more visits which were unsuccessful. In October the family were allocated a new health visitor, this health visitor was wrongly told that the family had moved away this resulted in their records being returned to the Health Authority HQ.The nightly banging and crying continued the neighbour again called the NSPCC on the 10th October, followed by a second and third call in November. A Social Services Officer made an unsuccessful call to the flat; he then falsified his records to reflect that a successful visit had been made. He was later sacked for his actions.On the 6th December two midwives called at the flat after reports that Koseda had given birth. The family, except Heidi, were asleep in the living area, there was no heating or lighting in the flat. James (18 months) was dressed in only a vest and no other clothes could be found for him. Koseda and Price stated that Heidi was staying with friends in Hounslow. Koseda and Lisa Price were discharged from hospital 5 days later.Between the 11th – 13th of December the community midwife visited the flat 5 times unsuccessfully. Mrs Rickard attempted a visit and was also unsuccessful. Between the 17th – 20th December more attempts were made by health visitors, again unsuccessful.On the 21st December a health visitor passed the case to Social Services. On the 24th December a health visiting senior nurse spoke with Price on the doorstep of the flat. Price told the nurse that Koseda was out with the children, the nurse then made an appointment for a health visitor to call on the 27th of December. 27th December call made by health visitor unsuccessfulA warrant was then made for a police inspector, wpc and health visitor to enter the flat. On entering the flat they found James and Lisa apparently clean and healthy. Koseda and Price claimed that Heidi was staying with friends in Hounslow. They also told the officials that no-one could enter the bedroom as it had been treated with anti-damp chemicals and it would be unsafe. Since the warrant only applied to Lisa the officials left.On New Years Eve the allocated social worker visited the flat and found all was well, she claimed that Koseda and Price were pleasant and co-operative, and a case conference was allocated for the 22nd January 1985. The social worker visited again on the 2nd and 7th of January and noticed bruising on James. Koseda and Price explained the bruises away with what she thought were plausible explanations.The health visitor called on the 3rd of January and became concerned about the explanations given regarding Heidi’s whereabouts.On the 15th January the health visitor called again and again became concerned as Koseda avoided answering questions regarding Heidi’s whereabouts.On the 22nd January the neighbour again voiced her concerns.During the case conference on the 22nd of January it was decided to place the children’s names on the at risk register.On the 23rd of January 1984 Price was asked by police about the whereabouts of Heidi then they arrested him on suspicion of murder, police searched the flat in Woolacombe Way and found Heidi’s decomposing body in a cupboard. It was impossible for pathologists to say when exactly Heidi died but it was thought that she had been dead for at least 2 to 3 weeks but more likely 6 to 8 weeks which would put her death at early December.Price claimed during his trial that he had stopped feeding Heidi due to her greediness’ for sweets in August 1984, he claimed that she then refused to eat food and drink which resulted in her dying in early November. The prosecution alleged that Heidi was placed in the bedroom for at least 2 weeks without food and water, the bedroom was secured by a broom handle. Heidi had eaten strips of wall paper in a desperate attempt to feed herself.Price was jailed for life, Koseda was committed to a mental hospital the two remaining children placed in care and made wards of court. It is horrifying to think that Heidi may well have still been alive during the visits made by social workers, health visitors and police on the 6th of December and the 27th of December. They allowed themselves to be deterred from entering the bedroom.Please spare a thought today for a life so cruelly and needlessly lost due to inadequacies of our current officials whose’ job is to protect vulnerable children and her cruel, sick and twisted carers, Rosemary Koseda and Nicholas Price.

Special Angels

A blog created to remember all the tragically lost lives of our countries abused and neglected children. They were failed by their parents/carers, the Child Welfare System and by us as a society. These children need a voice, how many more will die the most painful and cruelest deaths before "lesson's are learnt"