"Home alone" cases and recommendations

Two drunken mums had cat fight in street after leaving babies home alone for white wine binge


Oct 30, 2014 12:11
[*]By Lauren Brown

Young mums Jessica Ward and Molly Couch got drunk, left their babies at home, locked themselves out and then got in a fight about whose fault it was

Two drunken mothers fought in the street after they left their babies home alone following a white wine binge.
Close friends Jessica Ward, 22, and Molly Couch, 21, had shared three bottles of wine during a girlie night in - only to leave behind their daughters aged just 18 months and 17 months to go an errand.
When they staggered back, the pair who forgot their door keys realised they had accidentally locked themselves out - and began drunkenly blaming each other for the blunder.
Police were called to Ward's house in Fleetwood, Lancs, to find the battling blondes swearing at each other, throwing their arms around 'reeking' of drink - as one of the babies was heard crying for her mum inside the property.
A sergeant had to split the pair up before firemen got in through a window and found both children unharmed in a first floor bedroom.
Police breathalysed the two women and found each would have around three times the drink driving limit. Ward later claimed she was 'a little bit drunk'.
Details of the bust up emerged as care assistant Ward and ex-football club promotions officer Couch, also of Fleetwood, were given suspended jail terms after admitting child neglect. Both arrived at court separately and were dealt with separately.
Blackpool magistrates heard the incident occurred on September 17 when Couch had taken her baby round to Ward's home for a session of wine and TV. The guzzled three bottles but at 11pm both decided to go to Couch's house to pick some shoes - leaving the youngsters in their cots.
Prosecutor Miss Chrissie Hunt said police were called out at 11.40pm and added: "These defendants were fighting with one another in the street. They were separated. Both parties said they had been out drinking and were locked out and two young children were alone inside.
"Both defendants were verbally abusive to one another and were described as drunk. One child could be heard crying. The defendants were in no fit state to be caring for the children."
Ward was found to have 106 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath and Couch had 99mg. The legal limit is 35mg. In interview the pair admitted they had gone out knowing there was no babysitters with Couch blaming Ward.
The babies were made the subject of a police protection order with social services placing them in the care of grandparents.
The court heard Ward had previously been cautioned when the child was just three months after police were called to her house following a drunken argument with her then boyfriend.
In mitigation her lawyer Paul Robinson said: "Anyone who shares three bottles of wine is going to be more than a 'little drunk'. Any parent who gets that drunk puts themselves at being unable to look after their children. Any parent who leaves them alone leaves them at further risk.
"She is unable to recall exactly the events of the evening. She didn't take her keys with her - or she was that drunk that she forgot to take the keys. That child was put at risk and she accepts that was a serious offence.
"She drinks to excess but not every day, if she's drinking she doesn't know when to stop."
He said Ward had sought counselling for her drinking.


Cavendish


For Couch Mr Alan Goodwin said: "They don't try to hide or deceive anyone, it was a stupid error, she has accepted that she had put her child in danger.
"We are talking about 30 minutes away from the child. The child has not suffered. No one has said the child has not been properly looked after."
Ward was given 26 weeks jail suspended for 18 months and was made subject to an 18 month supervision order and will have to wear an electronic tag for 16 weeks.
Couch got 12 weeks suspended for a year with 12 month supervision order and a six month alcohol treatment programme. Both were each ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
District Judge Jeff Brailsford told Ward: "I don't understand what you thought you were doing. The greatest gift in this world is a child, they are wholly dependant for every aspect of their care. This is one of the worst cases of letting a child down.
He told Couch: "You were not in a fit state to look after the baby. You got it very badly wrong, you put your child at risk. "
 

  

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/two-drunken-mums-cat-fight-4535027

[snipped]


Details of the bust up emerged as care assistant Ward and ex-football club promotions officer Couch, also of Fleetwood, were given suspended jail terms after admitting child neglect


and.....


For Couch Mr Alan Goodwin said: "They don't try to hide or deceive anyone, it was a stupid error, she has accepted that she had put her child in danger.
"We are talking about 30 minutes away from the child. The child has not suffered. No one has said the child has not been properly looked after."
Ward was given 26 weeks jail suspended for 18 months and was made subject to an 18 month supervision order and will have to wear an electronic tag for 16 weeks.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11232799/Make-it-a-crime-to-leave-children-under-12-home-alone-say-parents.html

Elsewhere this has now been headlined as The Telegraph supporting Madeleine's Law - however, I cannot see that mentioned in the article. What is far more interesting is that the McCanns are mentioned.

By Keith Perry11:15PM GMT 14 Nov 2014
Leaving a child under 12 at home should be made a criminal offence, most parents believe.
A YouGov poll of parents commissioned by The Times found that two thirds want the government to set a minimum age limit that is legally binding.
Most say that the current situation, in which families judge for themselves when it is safe to leave a child, is inadequate. In the poll the age of 12 was the youngest age at which most parents felt comfortable leaving a child at home for an hour, with 61 per cent saying that this would be generally safe.
Only a quarter of parents thought it acceptable to leave a ten-year-old for an hour, and 7 per cent believed that applied to an eight-year-old. Currently, the law says only that parents should not leave children alone if they are placed at risk, but there is no minimum age.
There is also no age law for babysitters, although many parents believe the minimum age is 14.
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Many parents are concerned by the lack of clear legal guidance that could leave them open to prosecution or their children taken into care.
The poll was commissioned after it emerged that a mother who left her six-year-old son at home for 45 minutes had been given a police caution.
The incident took place eight years ago when the mother was taking a driving lesson — the last before her driving test — and a health visitor called at her home. The caution is preventing the mother from pursuing a career as a mental health nurse.
The disappearance of Madeleine McCann in the Algarve in May 2007 has also fuelled the debate. Madeleine and her siblings had been left asleep while her parents dined with friends at a restaurant 50m away. Her parents say that the apartment was always within their sight.
Justine Roberts, chief executive of the Mumsnet forum, told the Times: “The consensus [on Mumsnet] is that it really comes down to the individual child. Some parents would happily leave their responsible eight-year-old on the sofa for ten minutes while they pop to the corner shop. Others would balk at leaving a more absent-minded 12-year-old home alone under any circumstances,” she said. “The reason why the question arises so regularly on Mumsnet is because we all want to be reassured that our decisions aren’t entirely off the wall. If some clear and flexible research-based guidance were made available to parents, it certainly wouldn’t hurt.”
The poll found that three in five parents did not know what the law was. Despite the public demand for guidance, though, there is little prospect that the main parties will act.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said it was important that parents made the decision.
“It is vital that children are kept safe and the law is clear that parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health,” she said. “Parents know their children best, and the NSPCC has produced guidance on this issue that highlights the risks of leaving their children unsupervised.”

Thanks for posting Tigger, just bumping it as it seems to have been overlooked.  This from Spudgun.....


Mike Spudgun ‏@spudgun01 6 mins6 minutes ago
I see the TIMES reported it being considered an offence to leave a child under age 12 on their own. Will they be outed as a #McCann troll?

My eldest is 12yrs old and has never been left on his own. What if a fire started? What if a stranger came to the door? Heck, what if he let 2 or 3 friends in? My children are just too precious to take any risks, for any amount of time or for any reason. It should be common sence that young children should not be left unattended.
IMO

Slough toddler left home alone leads to arrest


Police are looking for a local woman who helped the girl at the scene
A woman has been arrested after a two-year-old girl was found wandering in a road in Slough during rush hour.
The toddler was left home alone and opened the front door, walking onto Stoke Poges Lane at about 09:00 GMT on Thursday, police said.
Det Sgt Matt Gow, from the child abuse investigation unit, said police were looking for witnesses who helped the girl at the scene.
A 37-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of neglect.
She is on police bail until 24 February.
"We would like to thank everyone who helped the little girl off the road safely, during what would have been busy rush hour," Det Sgt Gow said.
Officers are looking for a woman, thought to live locally, who was among several members of the public who came to the toddler's aid.
"She left before police officers arrived," a spokesman said.
"Thames Valley Police is keen to speak to this person in order to assist with their investigation."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-31172579

'Home Alone' Arrest Made Every Day - Report

Friday 27 March 2015

More than 100 mothers and fathers faced investigations for leaving their children unsupervised over three months, data shows.



Every day a parent is arrested on suspicion of leaving one or more of their children at home alone, according to new research.


A study by the Press Association found 105 mothers and fathers faced criminal investigation for leaving youngsters unsupervised in the last three months of last year.

The cases involved children aged between just a few weeks old and 14 years old.

There is no law to specify at what age children can be left alone - but if they're placed at risk parents can be arrested and prosecuted for cruelty and neglect.

Figures provided by police forces in England and Wales following Freedom of Information (FoI) requests showed that 30 of those arrested were released without further action, 24 accepted a police caution and 19 were charged.
In other cases, investigations were ongoing or details of how suspects were dealt with were not available.
Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming, who has called on the Government to provide clarity over the issue, said it was difficult to comment on whether police actions covered by the FoI responses were reasonable without knowing the circumstances of individual cases but described the findings as "important research".
"Parents often get confused by what is happening," he said.
"The Government claims that the judgement as to whether it is right to leave a child home alone is made by the parents. However, in fact the judgement is made by the police and local council workers.
"Potentially, someone who leaves a baby in a car seat in a petrol station could face prosecution. Similarly, whereas an eight-year old can be sent to go swimming or to the park on their own, they are not allowed to stay at home (alone). There does need to be more clarity on this.
"This is where the state interfaces into ordinary life and people's lives can be massively disrupted merely for doing what they thought was right for their children."
Chris Cloke, head of child protection awareness at the NSPCC, said: "Children mature at different rates so it's vital we have a common sense approach that ensures flexibility for parents, as they are best-placed to know what is right for their child."

http://news.sky.com/story/1453590/home-alone-arrest-made-every-day-report

Those are only the ones that are found out about. They will be several times more that go unreported. The vagueness in law is to allow for the fact of children maturing at different rates and a variation in circumstances ie leave a 12 and 13 year old for five minutes to nip to a local shop may be minor , but if you leave a chip pan on when you go then it's different. You can have a very mature and sensible 11 year old and an irresponsible 15 year old

You can leave 3 kids under the age of 4 abroad and go out on the piss though. 

Make lots of money out of it as well if your doctors.

Extracts from LBC

Steve Allen LBC 27th March 2015

Pete says one person arrested every day for leaving their children alone. Yes Nick Ferrari programme was going to be doing this this morning, or the Nick Ferrari programme with Andrew Pearce. It's interesting because I wonder whether or not he will be bringing up the fact that the McCanns left three children, three children, and so over here the Police prosecute one woman who left her child outside a pharmacy whilst she went into pick up a prescription, came back out and was questioned about it, there was one woman who they were going to talk to this morning who says that she was terrified to leave her child alone for years and years, she waited until she got to 13 and I would come back to the McCanns, they have left children home alone in a foreign country in a strange bedroom where you know they would not know anything just little children so over here you get prosecuted over there nobody cares about it, it doesn't seem to work really does it.


LBC James O'Brien 27th March 2015

Grant - I have got four children James, my eldest is now off to University in September but at one point we had all under four years old and one holiday family holiday we went down to Cornwall, a place called ..... great place, my youngest was two, my eldest six, and we went to dinner within the confines of the complex where we were and we left all four in a a room with a baby listening service. I had no issue with that and then a few years later...

James - No why would you.

Grant - I didn't, - a few years later we had the tragic incident with Madeleine McCann and what then happened was public opinion reshaped my whole thinking on the matter and I became a paranoid freak thinking almost lambasting myself for what I had done years prior.

James - Really, retrospective lambastation.

Grant - Yes, you can pay good money for that in certain places in London.

James - ha ha ha

Grant - but on that point I did reshape my thinking now I am no longer in a position with kids between the ages of 14 to 18 to think that way but a little paranoia has stayed with me and there are occasions when I think about those moments thinking how the hell could I have done that.

James - well you had a baby listening service and you were on the premises I don't think you did anything wrong.

Grant - yes but if you cast your mind back to Portugal the parents would use the same argument which you used earlier about going to see your pals two doors down that they were within reaching distance.

James - yes but the children were not old enough to use a phone and listen I don't want to turn it into a McCann phone in because as we discovered last year... no I know you are not doing that but I have dealt with, I have done my fruit cake quotation for today talking about foie gras and prisoners in the first hour I can't be dealing with another er attack of killer tomatoes this hour. Point is the things you describe didn't apply to the situation in Portugal

Grant - no correct but the point I am trying to make my over arching point is that your thinking can be defined by public opinion.

James - your psychology can be shifted irrationally but it doesn't actually make the shift any less profound and I am sure you are right that the particular case, that particular heartbreaking case was responsible for an awful... I mean most decent people responded to it by going there but for the grace of God go I but there were people I just referred to perhaps unfairly as the killer tomatoes that responded to it those disgusting parents, they deserve, or they should burn in hell for what they have done and the reason I am uncomfortable going back in to that territory is because of the lady that was unmasked as one of the trolls to Kate and Gerry McCann and ended up, I don't know how you would describe this, whether through shame or embarrassment taking her own life when she was affectively invited to publically put her name to what she was quite happy to do anonymously on social media.

Thanks Cherry

As you may know I thought it was great too Cherry

Mum who left 2 children home alone for THREE WEEKS while she went on holiday won't be prosecuted

07:34, 7 August 2015
[*]By Neal Keeling

[*]

It's understood that when the children were found, there was no food left, no heating, no gas, and the house was in a unkempt condition

A mother who left her two children home alone for THREE WEEKS while she flew abroad to a wedding has escaped prosecution.

Her children, one under the age of ten, were left to fend for themselves while she was out of the country.
The woman was arrested on suspicion of child neglect and her children were initially then placed with foster parents.
She left the family home in the Salford area in January to go on holiday.
The mum was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport when she returned to the UK, the Manchester Evening News reported.
It is understood that the children continued to go to school while their mother was away.

Now Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that the woman has been issued with a police caution and will not face court action.
The M.E.N understands that when the children were found there was no food left, no heating, no gas, and the house was in a unkempt condition.
The mother had not intended to return until later in February but came back early after being alerted that police and children’s services officers were investigating the children being left alone.
In a statement issued by GMP at the time they said said: “A woman has been arrested on suspicion of child neglect. The female was arrested having re-entered the country in February 2015. The female has been bailed for further enquiries.
“Two children are now in the care of the local authority. It is believed that the female left the UK in mid January 2015.”
Both children were initially placed in foster care, but it is understood they have now been returned to their mother.
A spokeswoman for the council said: “We are continuing to work with the family.”


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-who-left-2-children-6209829

Per earlier reports, the children were aged 10 and 13.

Obviously leaving them for 3 weeks was ridiculous but they were of an age when they could look after themselves for short periods.

I'm actually disgusted and sick after reading that. No food, heating or electric?!? Kids that age can still get into dangerous situations.... mind you, with no food to cook, no heating that could blow and no electric to catch fire they've probably just been hungry, cold and dirty! More than enough for the so-called mother to be dealt with, IMO

But it will be okay, because An Inquiry Will Be Conducted And Lessons Will Be Learned.

Where was the father of these two children?

Maybe not politically correct to ask?

Was no friend or neighbour even asked to call in from time to time?

Are there no laws on when a child can be left fo such a period?

No doubt considered by some medical practitioners  (who shall be nameless)  
as "well within the bounds of responsible parenting"      

bluebell wrote:No doubt considered by some medical practitioners  (who shall be nameless)  
as "well within the bounds of responsible parenting"                

Totally, makes checking every 30mins look like top class

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3213274/Florida-parents-left-baby-outside-bar-checked-sporadically-doing-shots.html#ixzz3k5RFtbkz

Sick.

What a bizarre sounding story this is. I've never heard of a child being taken into care in a country other than his or her own and not being returned to the parents.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3388340/British-policewoman-arrested-leaving-sleeping-baby-Manhattan-hotel-room-Single-mother-sues-New-York-authorities-claiming-child-held-hostage-kidnapped-foreign-country.html

I wonder if getting her baby back is on her list of priorities as well as suing for damages.

Freedom wrote:I wonder if getting her baby back is on her list of priorities as well as suing for damages.

Where else have we heard the words suing and damages

Why the child has not been returned to the U K and placed with foster parents here (if the authorities here agree that this is applicable) I just don't understand.