Prosecution attacks system over death

A prosecution lawyer has attacked the adoption system that placed a
three-year-old boy with a married couple who are accused of killing
him.

Ian and Angela Gay of Halesowen, West Midlands, are accused of
causing Christian Blewitt to collapse by feeding him the equivalent
of 40 grams of salt and by shaking him or hitting his head because
he failed to meet their expectations of family life.

Julie Macur QC told Worcester Crown Court that adoption officials
had raised concerns when Ian Gay rang during a 13-week trial period
prior to adoption asking if the child was “all there”.

“Ultimately, the act that removed him from his natural family
placed him with another family and that, the prosecution say,
killed him,” she said.

But Christian’s former foster carer Mary Johnson told the trial
earlier this week that she had been positive about the Gays and
their intention to adopt.

Christian was admitted to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley on 8
December 2002 suffering salt poisoning and brain injuries.

He was transferred to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and life
support was withdrawn four days later. A post-mortem revealed 11
areas of bruising to the top of his head.

Christian, his younger brother and sister were placed with the
couple by Sandwell Council social services on a 13-week trial in
November 2002.

The couple deny the charges of murder, manslaughter and cruelty to
a child. The case continues.