Four young children who died in a house fire after their parents fell asleep while smoking in bed were so badly neglected they only 'communicated by grunting' and suffered dozens of accidental injuries, a report has found.
Social services were said to have 'fallen short' in protecting Riley Holt, eight, and siblings Keegan, Tilly and Olly Unitt, aged six, four and three, who all died when a blaze broke out at their family home in Stafford, Staffordshire, in February last year.
Their youngest brother, aged just two at the time, survived the tragedy.
As investigations took place, it emerged that parents Natalie Unitt and Christopher Moulton had been smoking in bed that night. A discarded cigarette is thought to have sparked the devastating fire.
Report author Joanna Nicolas said the tragedy highlighted the need to treat neglect as having just as damaging an impact on a child as physical or sexual abuse. And she found similarities with several other serious case reviews in Staffordshire, where 'long-term neglect has not been well-managed'.
The Unitt family had first come to the attention of Staffordshire County Council in 2017. A child protection plan was later put in place, although little progress was made.
The report said: 'One of the greatest concerns about the children was their lack of speech. Professionals described the home as silent, despite there being five children in it.'
During an appointment with a paediatrician, one of the youngsters simply 'grunted and pointed at things'. Another had a 'frozen expression' in front of a social worker, showing no response.
The children, who also had signs of development delay, were referred for speech and language therapy.
'There is considerable evidence that the children were not given sufficient stimulation, supervision or guidance,' added Ms Nicolas.
One of them was simply put by the TV in their pushchair.
Nursery staff had also become concerned after finding another child appeared not to have had their nappy changed since the previous night.
More than 50 injuries, marks or bruises were seen on the children over a 17-month period.
-- Edited by Digger on Tuesday 15th of December 2020 02:15:08 PM
Digger said
Dec 15 2:14 PM, 2020
No doubt stoned or pissed. Ugh....the cut of the pair of them.
Maddog said
Dec 15 3:38 PM, 2020
This is one of those examples that demonstrate that just because the government charges the taxpayer for some level of care for those that need it, they dont always get it.
Social services are funded to provide care for people, especially children.
In theory that's correct, in practice it's not.
I think a great deal of government spending is a waste. But I do support taking care of kids and it seems that there was plenty of evidence these kids needed help.
Per as usual, governmental priorities are all askew.
-- Edited by Maddog on Tuesday 15th of December 2020 03:39:37 PM
John Doe said
Dec 15 7:15 PM, 2020
Digger wrote:
No doubt stoned or pissed. Ugh....the cut of the pair of them.
Some people really are beyond belief, those poor children.
Magica said
Dec 15 8:40 PM, 2020
They look a disgusting pair, they should never have kids.
Those kids were so neglected they couldn't speak! Bless them all x
Syl said
Dec 15 11:37 PM, 2020
What happened to the parents?
Magica said
Dec 16 12:28 AM, 2020
Syl wrote:
What happened to the parents?
I think I read somewhere no action is being taken! Can you believe that? Those poor kids were so neglected and let down by social services again ugh!
Syl said
Dec 16 12:36 AM, 2020
So they managed to escape the fire they started....yet their poor kids perished.
Some people should be forcibly sterilised.
Maddog said
Dec 16 12:42 AM, 2020
It would be different if these folks were flying under the radar. But their shitty parenting skills appeared to be well documented.
John Doe said
Dec 16 12:46 AM, 2020
Magica wrote:
Syl wrote:
What happened to the parents?
I think I read somewhere no action is being taken! Can you believe that? Those poor kids were so neglected and let down by social services again ugh!
So they get to breed again whilst four of their neglected children are dead?
It makes you sick.
Has the phrase 'lessons will be learned' raised it's ugly head yet?
Because it seems they never are.
Syl said
Dec 16 12:55 AM, 2020
Social services in that area should be investigated.
The children were well known to them, they were obviously at risk, yet nothing was done to help them.
It's heartbreaking when we hear of cases like this, and no doubt teachers, neighbours, other family members all looked the other way too.
Four young children who died in a house fire after their parents fell asleep while smoking in bed were so badly neglected they only 'communicated by grunting' and suffered dozens of accidental injuries, a report has found.
Social services were said to have 'fallen short' in protecting Riley Holt, eight, and siblings Keegan, Tilly and Olly Unitt, aged six, four and three, who all died when a blaze broke out at their family home in Stafford, Staffordshire, in February last year.
Their youngest brother, aged just two at the time, survived the tragedy.
As investigations took place, it emerged that parents Natalie Unitt and Christopher Moulton had been smoking in bed that night. A discarded cigarette is thought to have sparked the devastating fire.
Report author Joanna Nicolas said the tragedy highlighted the need to treat neglect as having just as damaging an impact on a child as physical or sexual abuse. And she found similarities with several other serious case reviews in Staffordshire, where 'long-term neglect has not been well-managed'.
The Unitt family had first come to the attention of Staffordshire County Council in 2017. A child protection plan was later put in place, although little progress was made.
The report said: 'One of the greatest concerns about the children was their lack of speech. Professionals described the home as silent, despite there being five children in it.'
During an appointment with a paediatrician, one of the youngsters simply 'grunted and pointed at things'. Another had a 'frozen expression' in front of a social worker, showing no response.
The children, who also had signs of development delay, were referred for speech and language therapy.
'There is considerable evidence that the children were not given sufficient stimulation, supervision or guidance,' added Ms Nicolas.
One of them was simply put by the TV in their pushchair.
Nursery staff had also become concerned after finding another child appeared not to have had their nappy changed since the previous night.
More than 50 injuries, marks or bruises were seen on the children over a 17-month period.
-- Edited by Digger on Tuesday 15th of December 2020 02:15:08 PM
This is one of those examples that demonstrate that just because the government charges the taxpayer for some level of care for those that need it, they dont always get it.
Social services are funded to provide care for people, especially children.
In theory that's correct, in practice it's not.
I think a great deal of government spending is a waste. But I do support taking care of kids and it seems that there was plenty of evidence these kids needed help.
Per as usual, governmental priorities are all askew.
-- Edited by Maddog on Tuesday 15th of December 2020 03:39:37 PM
Some people really are beyond belief, those poor children.
They look a disgusting pair, they should never have kids.
Those kids were so neglected they couldn't speak! Bless them all x
I think I read somewhere no action is being taken! Can you believe that? Those poor kids were so neglected and let down by social services again ugh!
Some people should be forcibly sterilised.
So they get to breed again whilst four of their neglected children are dead?
It makes you sick.
Has the phrase 'lessons will be learned' raised it's ugly head yet?
Because it seems they never are.
The children were well known to them, they were obviously at risk, yet nothing was done to help them.
It's heartbreaking when we hear of cases like this, and no doubt teachers, neighbours, other family members all looked the other way too.