A HIGH Court family judge said it was "no surprise" that a decision had not been taken about a criminal prosecution over the death of Poppi Worthington more than a year after her death.
Report details catastrophic failings in way Barrow baby's death was investigated
Harrowing details of Barrow baby's death revealed in court
In his fact-finding judgment delivered last year, Mr Justice Peter Jackson highlighted a decision by investigating detectives in Cumbria to wait for the results of a full post-mortem report.
This led to "no real police investigation" into the youngster's death for nine months, the judge said.
Among areas identified were:
- Items at the hospital that Poppi was taken to and the family home were not preserved for forensic analysis.
- The scene at the family home was not secured, with Poppi's last nappy she wore being lost despite the presence of police officers.
- The senior investigating officer, a detective inspector, and her superior, a detective chief inspector, not visiting the home.
- No reconstruction with the parents at home so that their accounts could be understood and investigations focused.
- No forensic medical examination at the time of death. Swabs were not take until post-mortem despite delays meaning forensic analysis can be prejudiced.
- The initial views of pathologist Dr Alison Armour, who conducted the post-mortem, were not clearly passed on to the local authority for safeguarding purposes.
- Neither parent's mobile telephone and Facebook accounts were analysed. - Samples that had been taken were not sent for analysis until after receipt of the full post-mortem report.
- No statements taken from any witnesses (paramedics, nurses, doctors, family members) until September 2013.
Mr Justice Jackson said many of the above matters were canvassed during the family court hearing evidence of the unnamed detective inspector - who led the investigation from the outset - who he said was "driven with evident reluctance to accept a number of failings in the inquiry".
In March 2014, he concluded: "It can come as no surprise that, well over a year since the death of this child, no decision has been taken about a criminal prosecution."
Report details catastrophic failings in way Barrow baby's death was investigated
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