News

A former South Tyneside Council social worker and his line manager have been strongly criticised by a coroner over the death of a 13-month-old child.

Sophie Casey had been referred to social services in August 1999 after she fractured her skull. Social worker David Potts took on the case, but failed to pass it on to his supervisor, Dave Martin, when he went on sick leave a month later. Casey died in December 1999 when she choked on her own vomit after being fed a mixture of cheesecake, ice-cream, milk and Weetabix by her stepfather.

Delivering his verdict of death by misadventure, contributed to by neglect, South Tyneside coroner Terence Carney said: "The focus from social services was not on the children, nor does there appear to have been positive actions to safeguard or promote children's welfare."

A joint investigation by the social services department and Northumbria police child protection team into Sophie's fractured skull found it was an accident. Nursing staff, teachers, neighbours and Sophie's own grandparents had all raised their concerns with social services over the way Sophie and her brother were being parented by their mother and stepfather.

Trevor Doughty, executive director of social care and health at South Tyneside council, said: "Although Sophie was not in the care of social services during her short life, we recognise that as one of the agencies responsible for her well-being there were serious shortcomings in the way this case was handled."