Jersey: Failure to date teeth could scupper murder enquiry

Jersey Police have said that a failure to date 65 teeth found at former children’s home Haut de la Garenne could scupper the prospects of a successful murder enquiry.

Experts have said that the teeth – all believed to be children’s milk teeth – could come from up to five children, but have not been able to date them yet, and Jersey Police said this was not likely to happen in the near future.

A spokesperson added that if they could not date the teeth, and bone fragments found previously at the home, “that would make it very difficult to proceed with a homicide enquiry”.

However, she added this did not affect cases of alleged physical and sexual abuse for which three people have already been charged.

• Read Community Care‘s full coverage of the Haut de la Garenne inquiry and current issues in child protection on the island.