Sunday, 30 June 2013

FILICIDE (intended): UK: Denise Ann Smith: published confession worth attention

Hi. I would like to say that I had a psychotic episode after

birth of 4th daughter where I tried to kill all my daughters. It

was due to sexual abuse by my father as a child and I

believed I had to kill my children to save them from abuse

like I suffered. Luckily thank god all my children survived and

I was found not guilty by reason of insanity but I would like

to point out doctors and mental health need more training. I

asked for help for weeks prior to this and was ignored. I

even had crisis team visit me and saw psychologist 2 days

before the psychosis. No one helped. Social services been

involved since and I have had to go through so much even

about my parenting to get my children back when it was

clear it was a one off episode and nothing to do with my

parenting. My heart goes out to all those mums out there

who needed help and have to now live with what happened

FILICIDE: Jessica Rivera sentenced for "death by neglect"

Jessica Rivera, the mother of a mentally disabled teen who died in 2011 after being found malnourished and covered with lice in her Jacksonville home, will spend eighteen years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of child neglect. Doctors at the hospital said she appeared to be brain dead and her core temperature was eighty-six degrees. An autopsy reported her daughter suffered from organ failure as a result of a massive infection within her body. Rivera had previously been investigated for abuse in 2007 and 2008.

Filicide due to neglect includes mothers who did not purposely kill their children but either failed to attend to the child's basic needs or were irresponsible in their reaction to the child's behavior. There are two types of subdivisions of maternal neglect. The first one is neglect-omission, which includes mothers who did not attend to the health, nutrition, or safety needs of the child. The second is neglect-commission, which includes mothers who were irresponsible in their actions and resulted in the death of the child."Mothers who Kill their Children" explains why mothers murder their child by conducting extensive research and reviews of cases obtained through NEXIS. This particular child abuse death case would fit in the maternal neglect filicide category.

More than half of all reported cases of child abuse and neglect involved children who suffered solely from neglect and a large number of these children died. Also, mothers are found to neglect their child at a significantly higher rate than fathers. Children who's nutritional needs are neglected, often die as a result of dehydration or starvation.

The mothers in this category were found to be young, single, have larger families, and lacked social support systems. Also, ninety percent of the cases involved mothers and children living in poverty. Mental health, mood disorders, and chemical dependency issues were also present in most of these cases.

Friday, 28 June 2013

FILICIDE: UK: THe official viewpoint: There will ALWAYS be parents who kill their children

'There will ALWAYS be parents who kill their children': Social worker says preventing all mothers like Rebecca Shuttleworth from murdering babies like Keanu IMPOSSIBLE

Laura Eden of The College Of Social Work speaking on ITV's This Morning
Joined by Criminologist Dr Elizabeth Yardley and former Met Detective Chief Superintendent Sue Hill
Discussing case of Rebecca Shuttleworth, 25, murdering son Keanu, two
Shuttleworth was jailed for life, minimum of 18 years

By MARTHA DE LACEY

PUBLISHED: 13:10 GMT, 28 June 2013 | UPDATED: 16:53 GMT, 28 June 2013

A senior child protection social worker has said that cases in which parents systematically neglect, abuse and finally murder their children will never be completely eradicated from society.

Laura Eden, who works in social services for Islington Council and also at The College of Social Work, said that preventing all child killings is impossible, regardless of how early or efficiently services such as hers or the police step in.

Eden was speaking in light of the news that 25-year-old mother Rebecca Shuttleworth was jailed for life by Birmingham Crown Court for beating to death her son Keanu Williams, two, over a period of time, inflicting injuries upon the toddler that were described as 'horrifying'. Shuttleworth was said to show no remorse over the killing.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Laura Eden appeared on This Morning to talk about Rebecca Shuttleworth

Rebecca Shuttleworth, 25, was jailed for life for murdering her two-year-old son Keanu

Laura Eden, left, was speaking in light of the news that 25-year-old mother Rebecca Shuttleworth, right, was jailed for life by Birmingham Crown Court for beating to death her son Keanu Williams, two, over a period of time

Shuttleworth and her son had been known to police, doctors and social services.

Making the comments on today's This Morning, Eden said: 'You will never eradicate all child death, or child abuse and neglect. No matter what we do there will always be parents who kill their children, and that's quite harsh, but that's reality.'

She continued: 'I can't comment whether Shuttleworth was on social services' radar. But in the business we call what she did 'disguise compliance', when parents present themselves to social services as very compliant, as if they are caring for their children very well, in the open. But behind closed doors they are not. and that could have been the case in this one.

'I do believe it's about professional judgment. But if you lower the threshold then you miss families who really need you. It's about early intervention.'

Keanu Williams, two, was beaten to death by his mother Rebecca Shuttleworth

Eden was joined by Criminologist Dr Elizabeth Yardley and former Met Detective Chief Superintendent Sue Hill to discuss Shuttleworth's case with presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langford.

DCS Hill said she would rather people who saw local families struggling made a call to social services than leave it for fear of looking nosy: 'I would rather make that phone call and save that child.'

Defending social services, she added: 'There are thousands of children being protected on child protection plan as we speak.

'However, when you drop one ball it's a disaster. And we've lost a little boy.

'The thing is, to be a child protection team officer or social worker you have to be very gutsy, very experienced - you have to be able to challenge the clinical findings of doctors.'

In response to the question "why do mothers kill?", Dr Yardley said that murderous parents can be split into two camps, those in mental ill health and those with parental deficit.

She said: 'People eperiencing mental health aren't really developing the capacity to fulful the parent role. They might be suffering from psychosis or Munchausen Syndrome by proxy.

'The second group is parental deficit - people who are perfectly sane, perfeclty competent, but are not putting their children's needs in front of their own, so you've got this continuous neglect, continuous abuse, and that's sometimes exacerbated to such a point that it has fatal consequences.'

Dr Yardley said Shuttleworth would probably fall into the category of parental deficit.

'Evil' Shuttleworth will NOT face a hard in jail: TV debate

Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langford, right-hand sofa, talking to Laura Eden of The College Of Social Work, left on left-hand sofa, criminologist Dr Elizabeth Yardley, right, and former Met Detective Chief Superintendent Sue Hill, centre

Dr Yardley, left, and former Met Detective Chief Superintendent Sue Hill, right

She added that Shuttleworth lied and hid the damage she had caused to Keanu to protect herself, saying: 'It isn't about concern for their child's welfare. They're incredibly selfish, incredibly manipulative, and very self-absorbed.'

Dr Yardley said in situations like these the local community has a role to play. She said: 'We need to look more widely. We're very quick to jump on health and social services, but we're very reluctant to pry into other families' lives ourselves.'

'We need to look more widely. We're very quick to jump on health and social services, but we're very reluctant to pry into other families' lives ourselves'

The three experts said it was important for all agencies involved in child welfare - police, social services, education and health - to work together and share information.

Shuttleworth was found guilty of murder on four counts of child abuse and jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 18 years.

Her boyfriend Luke Sotherton, 32, was cleared of murder but convicted of cruelty and given a nine-month suspended sentence and 200 hours of community service.

Keanu Williams was found dead in January 2011 with 37 injuries, including bite marks, a fractured skull and a fist-sized tear in his stomach.

Rebecca Shuttleworth was convicted of murdering her two-year-old son

Keanu Williams, left, beams at the camera in this family photo which gives no hint at the cruelty he would suffer at the hand of his evil mother Rebecca Shuttleworth

He was hit repeatedly with a stick or rod over 48 hours and died of internal bleeding, a post-mortem examination found.

Paramedics discovered his body at the home of Shuttleworth’s then boyfriend, Luke Southerton.

Shuttleworth, who was sentenced by Mr Justice Spencer at Birmingham Crown Court, had also been found guilty of four counts of child cruelty.

The judge, who also passed concurrent sentences for child cruelty totalling four years, told Shuttleworth: 'The jury have convicted you of the brutal murder of your two-year-old son.

'He was a defenceless child and it was your duty to protect him. Instead you beat him so severely he died a lingering death from his injuries a day or so later.

'You have also been convicted of cruelty by failing to summon the medical aid he so badly needed.'

Paying tribute to Keanu, the judge added: 'He was a delightful little boy described as a real character, a little entertainer who remained cheerful despite everything.

'Joyful was the word that more than one witness used to describe him - he was a favourite at nursery as well as within the family.

'His death has left a void in many live which will never be filled.'

Although the judge accepted that Shuttleworth had experienced her share of tragedy in losing her mother and grandmother following a 'troubling' upbringing, he said she had shown a cruel and vicious streak towards Keanu.

As Shuttleworth wept in the dock, the judge added: 'By the jury's verdict, you alone were responsible for the violence which led to Keanu's death.

'One can scarcely imagine the pain and distress Keanu must have suffered from this outburst of violence.

'He must have been terrified, it must have been clear to you as soon as the violence had taken place that Keanu was badly in need of medical attention.

Thursday, 27 June 2013

FILICIDE: UK: Magdalena Luczak on trial

Mother accused of starving her four-year-old son before beating him to death 'was an aggressive drunk who threatened the boy's father with a KNIFE'

Magdalena Luczak, 27, and partner Mariusz Krezolek, 33, deny murder
Daniel Pelka was so skinny he resembled 'concentration camp victim'
Boy's biological father Eryk Pelka says he often found Luczak drunk
Couple 'would often argue and she'd lash out by hitting him over face'
Mr Pelka 'broke up with her after she cheated on him with his friend'
Investigator says boy's hair had fallen out when he inspected his skull

By MARK DUELL

PUBLISHED: 16:34 GMT, 26 June 2013 | UPDATED: 16:49 GMT, 26 June 2013

Trial: Magdalena Luczak (pictured), of Coventry, is accused of depriving Daniel Pelka of food

A mother accused of starving her four-year-old son before beating him to death was an aggressive drunk who threatened the boy's father with a knife, a court heard today.

Magdalena Luczak, 27, and her partner Mariusz Krezolek, 33, of Coventry, are accused of depriving Daniel Pelka, of food, force-feeding him salt and locking him in a home-made prison.

The toddler was so skinny he resembled a ‘concentration camp victim’ before he died from a head injury in March 2012, Birmingham Crown Court was told.

Daniel's biological father Eryk Pelka said he regularly found Luczak drunk while looking after their son, and the pair would regularly argue - with her lashing out by hitting him over the face.

He told the court she once threatened to stab him with a knife at a party, and he had to call the police. They met in Poland in 2004 then moved to Coventry a year later before Daniel was born.

But their relationship deteriorated and he eventually left Britain to return to his native Poland when Daniel was aged one. Mr Pelka said he had ‘fierce arguments’ with Luczak.

Speaking through a translator, he said: ‘They are only my thoughts but she was aggressive towards me. She was shouting and calling me names and she was trying to hit me as well.’

Mr Pelka said at a party in 2007 police had to be called after Luczak threatened him with a knife.

He said: ‘We were at the party together and we had been drinking together. We were arguing all the time and she grabbed a knife.

'I rang the police and the police came and arrested both of us because I was drunk as well. I was pushing her away.’

Mr Pelka said Luczak would ‘repeatedly’ slap him across the face. He said on two occasions he had to call into work and pretend to be sick because Luczak had not come home from a night out.

He also said he came home late from his job as a lorry driver on at least two occasions and found her drunk. He said: ‘She was drunk and Daniel was lying on his own and no-one was looking after him.’

The pair moved to Coventry in 2005 and shared various addresses before and after Daniel was born in December 2007.

Hearings: A file sketch of Magdelena Luczak (right) and Mariusz Krezolek (left) at Birmingham Crown Court

Police were called to several domestic incidents involving the couple - sometimes by Mr Pelka and sometimes by Luczak. Mr Pelka denied ever being violent towards his ex-partner.

Daniel, who was so badly starved he weighed just 1.5st - 15lbs below average - was found by horrified paramedics with a head injury on March 3 last year.

Earlier in the trial the court heard his levels of emaciation were like those seen in parts of Africa and his Body Mass Index was too low to even register on the scale.

Despite being rushed to University Hospital Coventry doctors were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced dead.

Mr Pelka told the jury when he left England to return to Poland, Daniel was ‘really chubby’.

He said: ‘He was as all normal children are, he was healthy, he was not neglected. Even his granny said that taking into consideration he had been drinking English milk, he's really chubby.’

Toddler death: Daniel Pelka was so skinny he resembled a 'concentration camp victim' before he died

The jury also heard from Grzegorz Lukasik, a former colleague of Krezolek at an automotive factory in Coventry. He said Krezolek had described Daniel as 'autistic' and said he did not respond to beatings because of his mental condition.

At the trial: Eryk Pelka, biological father to Daniel Pelka, leaves Birmingham Crown Court after giving evidence today

He said: ‘I remember he said that he [Daniel] had autism and it's not even worth beating him because he won't feel any pain because he's autistic. I have never heard any good words about Daniel.’

Meanwhile the court also heard that Mr Pelka broke up with the boy's mother after she cheated on him with one of his friends.

He said that he and Luczak's relationship had deteriorated after she found a new partner - who had been living with the couple at the time.

He said: ‘I was sick and tired of the arguments and the cheating. I found out Magdalena had cheated on me with on of my mates.

‘When I left our relationship was not very good, Magdalena already had a new partner. Their relationship started just before I left England but I can't remember exactly when it was.

‘I got up once and went upstairs and Magdalena just told me about it. He lived with us at the time.’

Mr Lukasik, who worked with Krezolek, said Daniel's stepfather had spoken of sending the youngster 'back to Poland'.

He said: ‘He mentioned they would like to send him to his biological father but because there's a very strong bond between Magdalena and Daniel it probably won't happen.’

Lead investigator Detective Inspector Chris Hanson, of West Midlands Police, said when he examined Daniel's body on a mortuary slab the little boy's body was in a ‘wretched state’.

DI Hanson, who has investigated 80 child deaths over 21 years, said the schoolboy's hair fell out when he inspected the corpse.

He said: ‘I was pretty shocked actually, I would describe him as grotesquely thin. His body was in a completely wretched state and I was completely shocked at the severity of his emaciation.

‘His appearance was akin to a child from famine-affected Africa. He was very pale. Even wearing plastic gloves I could feel that his hair was very frail and brittle.’

DI Hanson said Daniel's hair had fallen out when he inspected his skull.

He said: ‘I could also see to the back of his head there was a swelling. I felt the injury and I instantly suspected it was a subdural [brain] bleed. It was obvious to me Daniel had been murdered.’

Krezolek and Luczak have admitted child cruelty, but deny charges of murder and causing or allowing Daniel’s death.

The trial continues.

FILICIDE: Canada: Elizabeth Gayle guilty of brutal murder

BY MICHELE MANDEL ,TORONTO SUN

BRAMPTON - In her birthplace of Jamaica, Tiffany Kadesha Gayle has been buried. But now, at last, that child can rest.

In 2009, Sherine Taylor allowed Tiffany’s father and stepmother to take her daughter to Brampton where they promised to give her a better life. Just over a year later, the 15-year-old’s bruised and battered body was shipped back to her in a coffin.

Canada was supposed to be Tiffany’s future. Instead, it would be her hell.

On Wednesday afternoon, Crown attorney Brian McGuire called Taylor to give her the news — that after just five hours of deliberation, both Federick Gayle, 45, and his wife Elizabeth, 46, were convicted of first-degree murder in the horrific beating death of her daughter three years ago.

“Right now, I’m thinking about Tiffany Gayle and hopefully she can rest in peace after this,” a subdued Crown attorney Brian McGuire said shortly after the surprisingly swift verdicts.

“And I’m thinking about how we were able to bring her into this courtroom and this jury saw the evidence that she left behind at the scene. She was the only witness we couldn’t call, and yet she was the most powerful witness in this case,” he said. “Obviously it spoke very, very directly and clearly to this jury.”

In notes found by Peel Regional Police in her stepmother’s dresser, Tiffany poured out her heart about wanting to please her dad and stepmom, yet failing at every turn. “Every day I am causing them pain and regrets,” she wrote, yearning for death. “I hate to see my parents angry but I guess there is nothing I can do because all I have ever done is cause pain in the family.”

But they were the monsters, not this innocent young girl.

Each tried to point the finger at the other, but the jury quickly saw through their self-serving lies: this was a team effort, a father swinging a baseball bat and a stepmother lashing out with a red barbecue tool, meting out their brand of vicious punishment on a defenceless child.

Her crimes? She wanted to attend her dance recital. She wanted to invite friends over and have a boyfriend. She wanted to be allowed to talk to her mom in Jamaica.

Tiffany wasn’t allowed to do any of those things. To her father, a strict Seventh Day Adventist, and her stepmom, who had inherited three of his kids and had already managed to send one back, these were the disrespectful actions of a rebellious daughter who deserved a beating, even if it meant she would die.

The trail of her blood told the horrible story: first in the garage where she was hit and backed into a corner, her bloody handprint on a saw against the wall, then marched into the basement so her screams would not be heard. Her blood all down that hall and into the bathroom, spatters of her fat adhering to the walls, as her bones were broken and her flesh torn with every fierce swing of those weapons.

Until she finally came to rest in that bloody bathtub, stripped of her bra and top, doused with water, and left to die from massive internal injuries.

In the tense courtroom, Elizabeth Gayle hardly winced on learning her worst fear was coming true: life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. Lawyer Donald McLeod insisted she’s led a tragic life: a disfiguring fire at 6, raped and impregnated when living on the street and abused later by other men.

But that doesn’t explain or justify what she did to Tiffany.

Her husband looked dazed. “Your Honour, this is hard for me. This is my daughter. I have never ever done anything wrong to cause the death of my daughter,” he told the court.

“I was scared that emotion would take over,” his disappointed lawyer, Stephen Bernstein, told reporters. “We still maintain his innocence and I can advise you that we’ll be looking into all avenues of appeal.”

No, the jury got it right. They recognized the evil that stood before them these many weeks of horrific testimony — and now they’ve quickly dispatched them both to the punishment they so richly deserve.

And for a poor girl who dreamed of a better life we could not provide, justice at last.

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

FILICIDE; UK, Birmingham: Angela Gordon convicted of starving daughter to death

Starved girl Khyra Ishaq's death 'was preventable'

Khyra Ishaq starved to death in 2008

The death of a seven-year-old girl who starved to death could have been prevented, a report has found.

Khyra Ishaq was mistreated by her mother and her partner at a house in Handsworth, Birmingham, and weighed just 2st 9lb (16.5kg) when found.

The Serious Case Review into her death found there were a catalogue of missed opportunities by professional agencies.

It also said better assessments and more effective communication could have stopped her death in 2008.

Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB)'s 180 page Serious Case Review is the first of its kind to be published in full.

Some professionals "lost sight" of their responsibilities to protect Khyra, who succumbed to an infection after months of starvation and cruelty, and instead focused on the rights of the girl's mother and her partner, the review found.

It pointed to a severe lack of communication between her school, social workers and other agencies dating back to March 2006.

The review found social workers did not listen to school staff members' concerns about Khyra, and contact by two worried members of the public was not acted on.

Tony Howell, head of children's services, said the report found two fundamental failings that occur through a huge range of services.

"One is the inability on occasion for them to follow their own procedures so they don't complete the task that needs to be done," he said.

The second one is communication between departments and agencies, he said.

"I think one of the issues that we have to be honest about (is that) all the agencies and indeed the safeguarding board's view is that we did fail Khyra in this case," he said.

Head of children's services at Birmingham City Council Tony Howell: "We did fail Khyra in this case"

"We will do everything we can to see our safeguarding procedures are better in future," he added.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said: "It is beyond anyone's comprehension that a child could die under such tragic circumstances.

"Today's serious case review confirms that all the agencies in Birmingham failed to protect this vulnerable child."

The seven-year-old's mother Angela Gordon, 35, and her partner Junaid Abuhamza, 31, were jailed earlier this year after they admitted Khyra's manslaughter.

Khyra and five other children in the couple's care were deprived of food and prevented from entering the fully-stocked kitchen by a bolt on the door.

Khyra was taken out of school by Gordon in December 2007 and concerns were raised about home education in the report.

Mr Gove said local authorities needed to develop "positive relationships" with their home-educating community.

"Clearly lessons need to be learned by the tragic events in this case, and I will consider the letter I expect to receive from Birmingham shortly, to see what changes need to be made to the existing arrangements, and reply in due course."

Gordon and Abuhamza are appealing against their sentences

Birmingham City Council confirmed three staff directly involved in the Khyra Ishaq case have been removed from front-line duties and said it had "already acted" on most of the report's recommendations.

Hilary Thompson, BSCB chairwoman, said: "The serious case review concludes that although the scale of the abuse inflicted would have been hard to predict, Khyra's death was preventable.

"The report identifies missed opportunities, highlighting that better assessment and information-sharing by key organisations could have resulted in a different outcome."

It said three incidents in March 2006 were not progressed "either by failures of paperwork to reach the correct departments, failure to follow safeguarding procedures, or to conduct thorough checks prior to case closure".

The report also highlighted a "major safeguarding flaw" within home education legislation in relation to her death.

It said: "The situation is particularly advantageous for parents who may wish to conceal abuse."

Analysis

Alison Holt, BBC Social Affairs Correspondent

The death of Khyra Ishaq was truly shocking.

There had been concerns raised by teachers after her mother pulled her out of school, but despite visits from police and social workers no-one put together the whole picture of what was happening to her.

Today's report reveals there was a major breakdown in communication, with different agencies holding different pieces of information that weren't put together.

It is also the first serious case review that is published in full.

This was a promise made in opposition by the Conservatives and the change was announced soon after the coalition was formed.

Usually only executive summaries are published and there have been complaints that in the past some of these have been carefully sanitised.

A complaint made by Gordon against a social worker who visited their Handsworth home "generated a reluctance" to complete an assessment, the BSCB said.

It continued: "Whilst a number of agencies and individuals sought to deliver effective services to the child... there were others who lost sight of the child and focused instead upon the rights of the adults, the adults' behaviours and the potential impact for themselves as professionals."

School medical staff were criticised for not adequately addressing concerns by school staff.

The report made 18 recommendations for specific action across groups including the city council, the safeguarding board, West Midlands Police and the city's primary care trusts.

A further 53 areas for improvement were identified.

Recommendations included that school height and weight checks should be properly recorded and that social care must review its screening process.

Mr Howell said children's social care had undergone a major review and the management team had been strengthened.

Khyra's father, Ishaq Abuzaire: "I hope that Khyra's death is not in vain"

Les Lawrence, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said the council re-affirmed its commitment to "create a children's social care service that better protects our young people from those who would harm them".

"Let this be Khyra's legacy," he added.

A joint health statement from the city's primary health trusts said they had made good progress at implementing recommendations made by the report.

Meanwhile, West Midlands Police said one of the recommendations directly related to the force and this had been addressed.

"Over the course of the last 12 months a new public protection department has been created," a spokesman said.

Gordon was sentenced to 15 years and Abuhamza was jailed indefinitely for the public's protection, with a minimum term of seven-and-a-half years.

FILICIDE: UK, Birmingham: more on Rebecca Shuttleworth who won the lottery after killing her son

Sickening smiles of a child killer: 'Monster' mother filmed celebrating £10,000 lottery win as she awaited trial for murdering two-year-old son

Rebecca Shuttleworth, 25, went on camera with girlfriend in Manchester
Video filmed just months after she battered son Keanu Williams to death
Was on bail awaiting trial in Birmingham for his murder at the time
Screams with delight as lottery prize money is revealed
Nods in agreement as girlfriend says they will use it 'to go on holiday'
Expected to be given life jail sentence at Birmingham Crown Court today

By STEVE ROBSON

PUBLISHED: 05:08 GMT, 25 June 2013 | UPDATED: 10:38 GMT, 25 June 2013

Hands clasped to her mouth, callous child killer Rebecca Shuttleworth whoops with delight as she realises her girlfriend has just won £10,000 on the lottery.

This sickening footage was taken only months after Shuttleworth, 25, had beaten her two-year-old son Keanu Williams to death in a flat in Birmingham.

Shuttleworth, who subjected Keanu to horrific abuse from the day he was born in 2008 until his death in 2011, was on bail awaiting trial when this video was made.

No shame: Rebecca Shuttleworth, centre, opens her mouth in delight as her partner, left, receives a lottery win

Joy: The 25-year-old was awaiting trial for murdering her two-year-old son at the time

Evil: The killer nodded in agreement when her partner said they would use the winnings 'to go on holiday'

It is understood she was living with her partner in Rusholme, Manchester, and was still protesting her innocence after the death of Keanu.

The toddler, who was known to police and social services, had 37 injuries including bite marks, a fractured skull and a fist-sized tear in his stomach.

But despite knowing she was about to go on trial for her son's murder, Shuttleworth happily went on camera with her partner to celebrate her win in the People's Postcode Lottery.

She introduces herself to presenter Judie McCourt before screaming with joy when the prize money is revealed.

Shuttleworth even nods along and agrees when Kurstie tells the presenter they will use the money to decorate their flat and go on holiday.

Oblivious that she is talking to an alleged murderer, Ms McCourt grasps Shuttleworth and says 'enjoy it, the pair of you.'

Keanu was hit repeatedly with a stick or rod over 48 hours and died of internal bleeding, a post-mortem examination found.

Carefree: Keanu Williams, pictured plays with a bucket of water, died on 9 January, 2011 after being admitted to hospital with multiple injuries

Shocking: A a body map details the harrowing injuries sustained by Keanu Williams

Paramedics discovered his body at the home of Shuttleworth’s then boyfriend, Luke Southerton, 32.

A review has begun into why social workers failed to spot the abuse.

Keanu’s injuries were not ‘isolated’ but part of a long chain of abuse by his mother, who now faces life behind bars.

Yet Shuttleworth had duped officials into thinking she was ‘caring and competent’.

It adds to questions about children’s services at Labour-run Birmingham City Council, rated ‘inadequate’ since 2009 after deaths of children known to social workers.

Cases include that of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq, starved to death in 2008.

Last month the department was labelled ‘utter chaos’ by members of its own watchdog.

Yesterday Jane Held, head of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board, which is reviewing Keanu’s death, said social services, medics and police ‘missed a significant number of opportunities to intervene’.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that Shuttleworth had ‘resented’ Keanu virtually from his birth in 2008.

Denial: Rebecca Shuttleworth and Luke Southerton, pictured together in the dock of Birmingham Crown Court, both denied murder

Crime scene: Police and forensic officers the area around the flat in Birmingham where Keanu Williams was found dead

Hellish: Pictured is the bed where Keanu Williams, who was discovered by paramedics with 37 separated injuries on his body, would sleep

Shuttleworth, who was living with Keanu’s father in Torquay, Devon, saw the child as an ‘obstruction to living her life as she wanted’, the jury was told.

Prosecutor Christopher Hotten QC said she spent much of her childhood in care as her alcoholic mother struggled to cope, giving her ‘considerable experience of the care system’.

Following Keanu’s birth she received ‘extensive’ support from health and social workers, posing as an ‘attentive’ mother at parenting classes.

She moved back to her home city of Birmingham when Keanu was 15 months old, starting a relationship with Southerton.

Mr Hotten said Shuttleworth used her knowledge of the care system to ‘manipulate social workers, teachers, doctors and care professionals to believe that she was a competent and caring mother’.

She told staff at the child’s nursery his bruises came from bumps or falls.

In December 2010, she took Keanu to hospital with burned feet, which she claimed came from a radiator beside his bed.

She was told police would inspect her home, and texted Southerton to make sure their stories matched up.

A month later, paramedics found the boy dead at the flat in the deprived Ward End suburb.

The couple had dialled 999, claiming Keanu had had a heart attack.

Mr Hotten told the jury Shuttleworth hoped he would ‘get better’ and only called 999 when she realised it was hopeless.

Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Marsh, who led the investigation for West Midlands Police, said: ‘In the past, I have described her as a monster and perhaps I would stand by that.’

The force would not comment on its prior involvement in the case because of the review.

Southerton was cleared of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death, but convicted of cruelty yesterday after a six-month trial.

Shuttleworth, who was convicted of four counts of child cruelty as well as murder, will be sentenced alongside him today.

ead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2347851/Rebecca-Shuttleworth-Monster-mother-filmed-celebrating-10k-lottery-win.html#ixzz2XE9fEa9Q