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Agencies 'failed' murdered baby Agencies 'failed' murdered baby
(about 1 hour later)
An inquiry into the murder of a 53-day-old baby from Northamptonshire has concluded that agencies failed to identify her as being at risk. A baby who was murdered by her father had been seen by 30 health workers before she died, care bosses admitted.
Jessica Randall died in November 2005. Her father, Andrew Randall, who had sexually abused her and then killed her, was jailed for life last March. Jessica Randall was killed in 2005, by her father Andrew, who also sexually abused the 54-day-old at her home. He was jailed for life in March 2007.
Following the death of Jessica, the Safeguarding Children Board for Northamptonshire launched a review. A report into Jessica's death, in Kettering, Northamptonshire, has also concluded a number of care agencies failed to identify her has a risk.
County council and health agencies have promised to act on the report. Health agencies and council chiefs have promised to act on the report.
The report says that, as early as 12 October 2005, "there were grounds for a referral to Children and Young People's Service (CYPC) due to her mother's previous history of mental health problems. Northamptonshire Teaching Primary Care Trust confirmed Jessica died after 30 members of staff at Kettering General Hospital and the trust had failed to begin child protection procedures.
It is vital that all those organisations involved in the care of Jessica learn lessons from this report Paul Burnett, Northamptonshire County CouncilIt is vital that all those organisations involved in the care of Jessica learn lessons from this report Paul Burnett, Northamptonshire County Council
By 15 November, six days before Jessica died, the report says "there were significantly more concerns and "some formal discussion" should have been made with the CYPC - which is part of Northamptonshire County Council. However, the Safeguarding Children Board for Northamptonshire report, released on Wednesday, stopped short of blaming any individuals for her death.
But the report says Jessica's father did not have a criminal record and there was nothing in his medical records to suggest he was a danger to her. "In recognising that opportunities had been missed to identify signs of abuse we must conclude that the outcome for Jessica Randall may have been different had these signs been acted on," the report concluded.
The report concludes that at no stage was Jessica recognised as a child at risk and due to this no procedures were brought in to protect her. It also stated that, as early as 12 October 2005, "there were grounds for a referral to Children and Young People's Service (CYPC) due to her mother's previous history of mental health problems".
The report makes a series of recommendations to improve the workings of the agencies involved in the Jessica case which include Kettering General Hospital, Northamptonshire Teaching Primary care Trust and the CYPC. By 15 November, six days before Jessica died, "there were significantly more concerns and "some formal discussion" should have been made with the CYPC, which is part of Northamptonshire County Council.
But it accepted Jessica's father did not have a criminal record and there was nothing in his medical records to suggest he was a danger to her.
'No whitewash'
The hospital has confirmed its 2000 staff have since received training in spotting cases of child abuse.
But Dr Brendan O'Malley, medical director at the hospital, said: "The report was not a whitewash.
"We looked very carefully at it and we really considered that it was the processes that were remiss. The individuals now know very clearly from training what they need to do in the future."
Asked to clarify what the doctor who had seen Jessica just days before she had died had failed to do, he added: "When Jessica was first presented to us she was twitching and the doctor felt she was probably fitting.
"He felt there were several possibilities for the diagnosis behind this and he set a range of investigations in motion.
"He organised a chest X-ray and an MRI scan but they all came back negative."
'Acknowledge mistakes''Acknowledge mistakes'
Paul Burnett, director for children and young people at Northamptonshire County Council, said: "This was a tragic case for all those involved and we would like to express our condolences to all those involved in the care of Jessica. Other examinations were carried out, but none appeared to indicate evidence of child abuse.
"It is vital that all those organisations involved in the care of Jessica learn lessons from this report. "The system was there but the problem was that it had not been triggered and the lesson that we have learnt is that we need to raise people's awareness of what has to trigger off referral to making a child at risk," he said.
"We, along with our partners, acknowledge all of the mistakes which were made and we have already taken action to address the key findings of this report to ensure that our services for children are improved as proposed." Paul Burnett, director for children and young people at Northamptonshire County Council, said: "We, along with our partners, acknowledge all of the mistakes which were made and we have already taken action to address the key findings of this report to ensure that our services for children are improved as proposed."
In March 2007, Jessica's father Randall, 33, of Havelock Street, in Kettering, was jailed for life after admitting murder, causing grievous bodily harm and four counts of sexually abusing his baby daughter. Randall, then 33, of Havelock Street, in Kettering, was jailed for life after admitting murder, causing grievous bodily harm and four counts of sexually abusing Jessica.