Inquiry call over girl found dead in canal

An inquiry has been demanded into the way social workers handled
the case of a five-year-old girl whose body was found last week in
a canal in the Highlands.

Relatives of Danielle Reid say social workers were told months ago
that the girl had failed to attend school and are demanding to know
why Highland Council social work department failed to take action
to protect the child, despite these warnings. They claim social
workers visited the child’s home just before Christmas but left
when there was no reply.

Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber MP David Stewart, who is a
former social worker, said only a full inquiry would reveal what
really happened.

“We need to see whether lessons can be learned to avert anything of
a similar nature happening again. No child should ever be lost to
the system in this way,” he said.

A council spokesman said an internal investigation was already
under way.

“There will be a full review of any contact the council had with
Danielle,” he said.

“All information we have will immediately be passed to the Northern
Constabulary”.

Danielle’s mother, Tracy Reid, 24, her boyfriend, Lee Gaytor, 25,
and his brother Christopher Gaytor, 22, appeared at Inverness
Sheriff court last week in connection with the case.

They have all been charged with attempting to pervert the course of
justice. They made no plea or declaration and were remanded in
custody for a week.