The Death of Baby P - Case Study Example

The Death of Baby Р Name: Instructor: Course: Date of Submission: The Death of Baby Р This discussion aims to explore the case of the death of Baby P with focus on the events that typified the crime, the form of homicide and the characteristics of the baby who became the unfortunate victim of child abuse Homicide in Britain Hyland (2008). The characteristics of the perpetrators in the case, which gained a lot of media attention in the United Kingdom and beyond also emerges here. Both the criminal and psychological angles of these aspects are, covered with respect to how they relate to other like cases in the globe. The fact that this tragedy was preventable is obvious as presented in different quarters is explored in this discussion which provides recommendations on the forms and points of intervention that if taken would prevent the eventual death of the almost 1 ½ years old Peter Connelly The Crime The events that led to the death of Peter Connelly, popularly named “Baby P” traces back to the moment Steve Baker, the boyfriend to Baby P’s mother moved in with the two. In December 2006, just one month after the move, a general practitioner saw injuries on the chest and face of the then nine months old baby (Garboden, 2011). This led to the arrest of Tracey Connelly, the baby’s mother with peter finding a new home with a family friend. In January 2007, the baby however, went back home under the care of the mother. The months that followed this included instances of hospital stays with cases of injuries on the baby leading to another arrest of the baby’s mother on may the same year (Caldwell, 2009). A month later the case of abuse erupted over the injuries as the medical reports disclosed and the baby take in with a friend for protection. A locum paediatrician later in the year noticed injuries that were more serious on the baby including broken ribs and back although the mother was, not prosecuted on these bases. Baby Peter died at 12.20 pm at the North Middlesex hospital on 3rd August 2007 after failed attempts to resuscitate him. According to the postmodern report, Baby Peter died after swallowing a tooth because of being punched. Additionally, Peter had multiple injuries typified by missing fingernails and fingertips, broken ribs and a broken back (Local Safeguarding Children Board, 2009) The Type of Homicide This kind of homicide falls under the category of murder resulting from fatal abuse where the actions of the perpetrator gears towards causing serious injuries or death of the victim. According to the Daily Mail (2008, Nov 16), Baby peter went through horrifying and tormenting moments ant the hands of those who were meant to provide him care. The injuries that the baby sustained were not accidental as the acts of the tormentor clearly point to an intention of causing injuries and eventually death. This case is similar with the increasing number of children whose cases of homicide relate to battering and neglect (United States, 1996). According to the teenage witness, the baby had exposure to dog bites as he was used to train the family dogs on conducting attacks besides being, wilfully dropped on the floor. Baby Peters missing fingernails and fingertips, according to the witness, resulted from them being pulled out and cut off using a pliers. Steve Baker constantly threw the baby on the coat while grabbing his throat and broke the back and ribs of the baby causing his paralysis downwards, from the waist. The fact that the baby had been seriously punched causing his tooth the break as the , the post-mortem analysis confirmed indicated the extreme level of inhumane acts that the mother boyfriend committed, while abusing the baby who succumbed to death at the age of 17 months (LSCB, 2009). The neglect that the baby face from the mother was also evident as for days he stayed crying in the cot with no one bothered. The mother’s reluctance to call for help when the baby’s condition became critical considerably indicated her disinclination to see the child survive. Victim’s Characteristics The characteristic of Peter Connelly, as a victim of child abuse homicide coincides with a number of attributes revealed among the victims of various child abuse homicides in Australia and other areas of the globe. According to Strang (1996), the age of the victims in many cases is under the age of one year. This goes hand in hand with the case of baby peter who suffered abuse from the age of 9 months up to his death at 17 months old (Garboden, 2011). The fact that these children stay at home most of the time expose them to extreme danger, as most of the culprits are relatives (Hindmarch, 2009). According to research studies on the problem, children under the age of one year constitute one-half of all the cases of child abuse homicide with those between the ages of zero and three year comprising of close to 30 percent of the same. Moreover, the victim in this case was white, male, and coming from a more or less stable home. With the ratio of male children greater when it comes to this cases, the case of ’ baby P’ demonstrate the true scenario since, over 70 percent of child abuse homicide victims are usually male (Strang, 1996). Additional, the prevalence of white victims against their black counterparts is widespread with the risks being majorly with people that the children and probably their mother think they can trust. Offenders’ Characteristics Stephen Baker and His brother Jason Owen, the main perpetrators of the child abuse homicide against baby Peter Connelly had characteristics that more or less matched those of known child abusers and neglecters. Steven, at the time of his conviction was 32 years old and in a relationship with the Childs mother. He is white, violent and a substance abuser as the Daily mail indicated (2008). His acts of violence against the child and frequent use of cannabis point to this belief. Jason Owen on the other hand was 36 years old at the time and had at some point, been accused of raping a two years old baby. According to the United States (1996), the levels to which male perpetrators commit abuses that lead to homicide among child victims are substantial (Kajese, Nguyen, Pham, Pham, Melhorn & Kallail, 2011). This makes the involvement of Owen and Baker, both of who are male not much of a surprise. Additionally, parents, in the case of Baby Peter, a potential stepfather, perpetrated most of this crime. The age of these is usually about 40 years old with more than 70 percent of the perpetrators having committed similar or related crimes against children at an earlier time (Strang, 1996). Baker’s brother whose contribution to the abuse and eventual demise of the minor was paramount was a known paedophile (Care Quality Commission 2009) Recommendations According to Hyland (2008), the negligence on the part off social worker, police officers, support staff and doctors at the North London based Haringey Council is to blame for the otherwise, preventable death of the 17 months old Peter Connelly. It was unfortunate that even after numerous examinations that doctors conducted on the baby during the times he was admitter at the hospital, none of the parties could make out the extent of suffering that the child experienced. According to an investigation the Ofsted conducted, the Haringey council, social services department, lacked in terms of follow-up. Lack of commitment on the part of some practitioners made is impossible to discover the extent of injuries that the baby had for example in identifyng the broken spine. Had the entities done thing differently, the death of the child would not occur in the end. Instituting robust operations and adequate resources together with appropriate staff in social service areas is an important step that would have prevented this case. Competent doctors would be able to notice the missing fingers and clearly decipher the extent of harm. Moreover, child protection agencies ought to take seriously their roles of protecting abused children even in the face of resistance from the parents or caretakers. This, backed by appropriate investigations of the police departments would go a long way in saving children from further harm and reducing the rate of child abuse homicide in the United Kingdom and the world through. References Care Quality Commission (2009, May) Review of the involvement and action taken by health bodies in relation to the case of Baby P Retrieved August 21, 2013, http://archive.cqc.org.uk/_db/_documents/Baby_P.pdf Daily Mail (2008, Nov 16) Teenager Reveals Full Horror of Shocking Ordeal Suffered by Baby P as the Hands of the Tormentors, Retrieved August 21, 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1086284/Teenager-reveals-horror-Baby-Ps-shocking-ordeal-hands-tormentors.html Garboden, M. (2011, Jun 16). The sun apologises to baby P social worker as court set to award damages. Community Care, 7 Garboden, M. (2009, Nov 12). Baby P: One year on. Community Care, , 18-19 Caldwell, C. (2009). Guilt cannot be nameless. FT.Com, Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview Hindmarch, C. (2009). On the death of a child, Abingdon, and Oxon England: Radcliffe Pub Hyland, J (2008, Dec 4) The Tragic Death of Baby P, The International Committee of the Fourth International, Retrieved August 21, 2013, http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/12/baby-d04.html Kajese, T. M., Nguyen, L. T., Pham, G. Q., Pham, V. K., Melhorn, K., & Kallail, K. (2011), Characteristics of Child Abuse Homicides in the State of Kansas from 1994 to 2007 Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal, 35(2), 147-154. Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) Haringey (2009, Feb) Serious Case Review: Baby Peter, Retrieved August 21, 2013, Http://Www.Haringeylscb.Org/Executive_Summary_Peter_Final.Pdf Macleod, S., Hart, R., Jeffes, J. and Wilkin, A. (2010), The Impact of the Baby Peter Case on Applications for Care Orders (LGA Research Report). Slough: NFER Strang, H (1996) Children, and Victim of Homicide, Australian Institute of Criminology: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No.53 United States. (1996). Battered child syndrome: Investigating physical abuse and homicide. Washington, DC: Dept. of Justice Read More