A 12-week old baby girl was found dead in bed next to her mum in a room containing empty beer bottles and a half-empty bottle of Prosecco.
Police officers found the empty containers under the bed, as well as inside the infant's changing bag. Toxicology reports also found the mum had taken cocaine as well as consumed alcohol before the incident.
The tragedy was investigated as part of a Serious Case Review by Sefton Safeguarding Children Partnership. According to the report, the baby, given the pseudonym 'Delilah', was a twin who died on October 12, 2021.
READ MORE: Faces of eight men jailed for life after hunting down and murdering former boxer
The report said: "She had been conveyed to hospital by ambulance after her mother found Delilah face down and unresponsive in the bed in which she (mother) had been sleeping with Delilah and her twin sibling during the afternoon of that day.
"Delilah’s twin sibling was unharmed. Delilah’s mother reported that she had consumed four bottles of beer the previous night and was later found to have also taken cocaine."
The review found that the mum had been living with her parents after being subjected to a serious beating by her ex-partner, which resulted in him being sent to prison.
It emerged that Delilah's mum's eldest three children had been placed under child in need plans by social services, and were no longer in her care.
According to the review: "There had been extensive children’s social care involvement with mother, her partners and their children from 2013 relating to ‘mother’s lifestyle and volatile relationships’, concerns about parental substance misuse – particularly mother’s long history of alcohol misuse, parental neglect of her elder three children relating to poor school attendance, unsatisfactory home conditions, lack of access to health services and disclosures by the children that they had been left alone.
"There had also been concerns about mother’s mental health and her risk of- self-harm and complaints of anti-social behaviour from neighbours. Mother’s level of engagement with children’s social care and early help was a cause for concern throughout these years."
However the review found missed opportunities to provide support and identify risks while her Delilah's mum was pregnant.
Despite her previous issues, the maternal grandparents described how she appeared to be "coping well" with the twins when they were born. According to the report: "Professionals who provided mother and the twins with antenatal support observed that mother appeared to have a good emotional bond with the twins and was attentive to their needs.
"The home environment was described as ‘good’ and professionals felt that the twins appeared to be well cared for, loved and cherished. They were taken to all GP appointments. The maternal grandmother said that Delilah’s sudden death had been a terrible shock for the family."
However the review found the mum declined an offer from a health visitor to review the twins' sleeping arrangements, and it was later discovered there was only a single bedside crib, considered too small for both twins.
The review found: "Mum's lack of consent for professionals to view night time sleeping arrangements was not seen in the context of mother’s sporadic engagement with professionals. Information shared by mother with professionals was invariably accepted at face value and not verified."
The review also found that key elements of the "Pan Merseyside Pre-Birth Protocol" were not followed, including use of a risk assessment tool and most importantly a meeting involving different agencies, meaning some of the mum's issues were not explored in full.
It stated: "Had professionals gathered readily available information in relation to concerns relating to engagement with professionals, they would have been much better placed to work constructively and assertively with mother.
"There was a lack of understanding of mother’s own life experiences. Whilst most agencies were working with mother on a consent basis, weaknesses in practice provided opportunities for mother to avoid engagement. A trauma informed approach to working with mother could have been helpful."
The review made a series of 10 recommendations relating to specific to pre-birth, planning for assessments and management oversight, alcohol risk identification and supported referral, domestic abuse training, child in need planning, safe sleep, and engagement with avoidant parents.
READ NEXT:
Faces of eight men jailed for life after hunting down and murdering former boxer
Vigilantes bundled dad into boot of Audi and left mutilated body on road
Stalker advertised ex-girlfriend on swinging website after bedsheet proposal
Man fighting for life after attack by stranger dressed all in black
Haven launches four-night family stays from £49 on March 2023 hideaway breaks
