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Psychotic mother killed children | Psychotic mother killed children |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A judge has criticised a council after it allowed a mentally ill woman access to her children before she killed them. | A judge has criticised a council after it allowed a mentally ill woman access to her children before she killed them. |
Vivian Gamor, 29, admitted beating Antoine, 10, and suffocating Kenniece, three, in Hackney, east London, in January, the Old Bailey heard. | Vivian Gamor, 29, admitted beating Antoine, 10, and suffocating Kenniece, three, in Hackney, east London, in January, the Old Bailey heard. |
Judge Peter Rook QC criticised Hackney Council, saying the tragedy could have been avoided and Gamor should not been given free access to the youngsters. | Judge Peter Rook QC criticised Hackney Council, saying the tragedy could have been avoided and Gamor should not been given free access to the youngsters. |
An inquiry is now under way to examine what lessons can be learned. | An inquiry is now under way to examine what lessons can be learned. |
'Loving mother' | |
Mr Justice Rook QC said: "On the face of it, this terrible tragedy could have been avoided if Gamor had not been allowed unsupervised access and the children's father's grave concerns had been given weight." | Mr Justice Rook QC said: "On the face of it, this terrible tragedy could have been avoided if Gamor had not been allowed unsupervised access and the children's father's grave concerns had been given weight." |
He added: "There are implications for the social services." | He added: "There are implications for the social services." |
The system that I obeyed has frogmarched my children to their deaths Jimi OgunkoyaFather | The system that I obeyed has frogmarched my children to their deaths Jimi OgunkoyaFather |
The children's father, Jimi Ogunkoya, blamed social services for their deaths. | The children's father, Jimi Ogunkoya, blamed social services for their deaths. |
"I obeyed the law and let them go," he said in a court statement. | "I obeyed the law and let them go," he said in a court statement. |
"I wish I had not done that. The system that I obeyed has frogmarched my children to their deaths. | "I wish I had not done that. The system that I obeyed has frogmarched my children to their deaths. |
"They assessed her and found nothing wrong. This is pure negligence, which will not be tolerated." | "They assessed her and found nothing wrong. This is pure negligence, which will not be tolerated." |
Gamor was detained under the Mental Health Act after the judge agreed her responsibility was diminished through paranoid schizophrenia. | Gamor was detained under the Mental Health Act after the judge agreed her responsibility was diminished through paranoid schizophrenia. |
Gamor's solicitor, Farhana Rahman-Cook, said: "Vivian Gamor has suffered from a rapid decline in mental health. Prior to any symptoms developing Vivian Gamor was a loving mother and an intelligent student, studying towards a masters degree. | |
"This very tragic case has placed a significant burden on local social services who have given full statements to the court." | |
Mother Nature Vivian | Mother Nature Vivian |
The court heard Gamor was sectioned for serious mental illness in early 2006 and the children moved in with their father. | The court heard Gamor was sectioned for serious mental illness in early 2006 and the children moved in with their father. |
She had claimed the children were not hers, that Jesus was her twin and she changed her name by deed poll to Mother Nature Vivian. | She had claimed the children were not hers, that Jesus was her twin and she changed her name by deed poll to Mother Nature Vivian. |
But Gamor was later released from care after doctors concluded she posed no risk to herself or others. | But Gamor was later released from care after doctors concluded she posed no risk to herself or others. |
She was gradually granted supervised access and then, on three occasions, unsupervised access to her children. | She was gradually granted supervised access and then, on three occasions, unsupervised access to her children. |
It was on the third occasion of unsupervised access that Gamor killed her children during the night at her flat in Pembury Close. | It was on the third occasion of unsupervised access that Gamor killed her children during the night at her flat in Pembury Close. |
'Tragic case' | 'Tragic case' |
Diane Ellis QC, defending, told the court: "There have undoubtedly been failures amongst the professionals caring for her." | Diane Ellis QC, defending, told the court: "There have undoubtedly been failures amongst the professionals caring for her." |
Hackney and City Safeguarding Children's Board, a multi-agency body which oversees child protection, has ordered an inquiry into the deaths. | Hackney and City Safeguarding Children's Board, a multi-agency body which oversees child protection, has ordered an inquiry into the deaths. |
Board chairman Fran Pearson said: "This is a tragic case which has been devastating for this family, and has affected everyone involved with it." | Board chairman Fran Pearson said: "This is a tragic case which has been devastating for this family, and has affected everyone involved with it." |
She said lessons would be learned from the findings of the Serious Case Review, which will be published next month. | She said lessons would be learned from the findings of the Serious Case Review, which will be published next month. |
Hackney Council said it would not comment on the case until the inquiry's findings are published. | Hackney Council said it would not comment on the case until the inquiry's findings are published. |
Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, said: "This harrowing case highlights the failure to assess the risk that Vivian Gamor posed to her family when their concerns were apparently ignored. | Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, said: "This harrowing case highlights the failure to assess the risk that Vivian Gamor posed to her family when their concerns were apparently ignored. |
"In half of the rare headline cases Sane has analysed there has been a failure to heed the warnings of families, which was identified by the judge in this case as a key factor leading to this tragic and unnecessary loss of life." | "In half of the rare headline cases Sane has analysed there has been a failure to heed the warnings of families, which was identified by the judge in this case as a key factor leading to this tragic and unnecessary loss of life." |