Neo Craig aged 10 Months
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Havering Social Services (Essex) Social Workers missed numerous injuries. BBC News 8 November 2007 Addicts jailed over baby's death Two crack addicts have been jailed for five years over the death of their 10-month-old son. Neo Craig died from a punch to the stomach that caused fatal internal bleeding, the Old Bailey heard. The baby lay dead for several hours before emergency crews were called to Rush Green Gardens in Romford, Essex, in December 2006. Sharma Dookhooah, 25, and James Craig, 26, both drug users, admitted causing or allowing the death of a child. Judge Richard Hone told Dookhooah and Craig, who pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing, they were both equally culpable for Neo's death. "The bitter truth is that you loved your crack cocaine more" Judge Richard Hone "Such was the depth of your addiction that you put your own irresponsible and degrading lifestyle above the interests of your child," he said. "I do accept that you both did care for him and in your peculiar ways loved him, but the bitter truth is that you loved your crack cocaine more." The judge listed 10 occasions on which the baby was found to have suffered bruises, scratching and other injuries. "This litany of injuries illustrates that Neo's short life was one of unexplained and suspect bruises and injuries," he said. Dookhooah, who worked as a carer in an old people's home, was spending a £60,000 inheritance on a £250 a day crack habit for her and Craig, the court heard. Despite being on the "at risk" register, social workers failed to detect injuries on a visit two months before Neo's death because he was covered in baby powder. A post-mortem test showed that as well as his fatal injury he had suffered rib fractures and bruising and his head hair tested positive for cocaine. 'Chaotic home life' Craig admitted lashing out with a "clenched fist" at his girlfriend while she was holding Neo during a row on 24 December 2006. "Sharma Dookhooah moved slightly and the blow impacted on Neo," said Richard Whittam, prosecuting, during the trial. The pair were also banned from working with children for five years. A serious case review by the Havering Safeguarding Children Board found Neo's parents had tried to hide his injuries. The board said: "Neo's home life was chaotic and his parents deliberately set out to deceive and confound the various child protection agencies in the lead-up to his death." The board has introduced a series of measures to strengthen child protection services including extra drug awareness training for social workers. Grandmother blames social services after baby dies when left with junkie parents 28 November 2007 Daily Mail The grandmother of a 10-month-old baby killed by his drug-addled parents has slammed social services for failing to save his life. Yvonne Craig, 45, claims baby Neo was handed over to his crack-cocaine addicted parents even though there was evidence of drugs in his system when he was born. The tragic toddler died on Christmas Eve last year after he suffered a fatal blow during a heated row between his parents James Craig, 26, and Sharma Dookhooah, 25, at their home in Rush Green, Essex. They were jailed for five years for causing his death on November 8. But his distraught grandmother claims the social services had enough "information and power to stop his tragedy" but failed to keep Neo safe. Mrs Craig said: "There is no excuse or way of understanding what my son and Sharma did. "They were hooked on drugs and it took them out of the real world, but I feel the social services were the only ones with the power to save them all." Mrs. Craig said she was present at Neo's birth in February 2006. She claimed she felt relieved when he tested positive for drugs because she thought his parents would not be allowed to keep him. She said: "James and Sharma had already lost a baby through their drug taking and volatile relationship so when I heard Neo was on the way I was extremely worried. "In the end, he arrived two weeks early and tested positive for drugs which was strangely a relief as I thought he would never be allowed home with them. "But I was wrong. The hospital released him in two weeks and the drug taking never stopped. Mrs. Craig claims she repeatedly spoke to social services at Havering Council about the risks to Neo during his short life. At one point she claims she even went to the lengths of kidnapping the baby at just eight weeks old from a hostel in Harold Hill where his parents were living in Harold Hill, Essex. She said she was worried he was neglected and living in dangerous conditions. But she said she was ordered to return him to his parents by social services. She said that when her son and his partner were using crack, they were "on a different planet where they could not be reached". Mrs Craig added: "This tragedy should never have happened. I feel social services could have stopped this. "As far as I'm concerned, while James and Sharma are guilty of killing Neo, the authorities allowed it to happen and they too are guilty of my grandson's death." Neo died after receiving a blow to his abdomen which caused broken ribs. Police were called in to investigate his death by staff at Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex, after the toddler was confirmed dead on arrival. Detective Chief Inspector Dave Marshall who headed the Met Police's Child Abuse Investigation Team which looked into the case, said the tot had been subjected to "inhumane and degrading treatment". Havering Council representatives said a formal complaint had been received from Mrs. Craig. A spokesman for the council said: "Social Services and other local agencies met on several occasions with various members of Neo Craig's family and we entirely sympathise with Mrs. Craig's obvious distress. "At the sentencing of James Craig and Sharma Dookhooah, the judge held both parents responsible for Neo's tragic death. "The independent review of Neo's case found that all agencies showed due concern for his welfare and worked hard to address those concerns up until the time of his death. "It also made a number of recommendations to improve child protection procedures which have been or are being implemented. "Mrs. Craig has made a formal complaint to Havering Council, which is being dealt with through our complaints procedure." |
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