An immediate investigation is set to examine the circumstances in which a 14-month-old toddler, who was under the supervision of social workers, was given a lethal combination of drugs by his mother before he was due to be placed in care.
Emma Barnett, aged 36, administered poisonous substances to her son, Oakley, in November 2024 following a court ruling that he should be removed from her custody. Barnett, a resident of Loughton, Essex, was convicted of murder at Cambridge Crown Court last week and is scheduled for sentencing on Friday.
Essex County Council announced that an ongoing review, conducted by the Essex Safeguarding Children Board, will be released in due course. Prior to the court decision on November 8, 2024, social services had already removed Barnett’s other five children from her care. Despite not attending the hearing in Chelmsford, Essex, Barnett watched part of it online and committed the crime shortly after.
During the murder trial, it was revealed that Oakley had been placed under a child protection order soon after his birth in 2023 due to concerns of neglect raised by social workers. Barnett disclosed to one of the social workers in May 2024 that she did not feel a bond with or love for Oakley and expressed doubts about her ability to care for him.
A spokesperson for Essex County Council extended condolences to Oakley’s family and mentioned the ongoing review by the Essex Safeguarding Children Board.
Barnett was discovered hiding in the loft of her residence with her son Oakley on November 8, 2024. The court heard that Barnett had collected medication from a pharmacy on the day of the family court hearing. Upon learning that Oakley was to be taken away, she absconded from the hearing and was later reported missing.
On the same day, police entered her home and found her in the loft. Initially claiming that Oakley was asleep, Barnett later confessed to having killed him. Both were hospitalized, but Oakley succumbed to the effects of the drugs in December 2024.
Barnett was arrested in January 2025 on suspicion of murder but remained silent during police questioning. Following an 18-day trial, a jury at Cambridge Crown Court found her guilty of deliberately giving Oakley a fatal concoction of medication.
Detective Inspector James Holmes from Essex Police described the case as distressing and challenging for all involved, extending sympathies to Oakley and his loved ones. Essex Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) regarding the search for Oakley and Barnett.
The IOPC acknowledged areas for improvement within Essex Police, and the force has since implemented recommendations for enhanced search procedures in properties.