Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Tot dies in car seat as parents out at bar
A BABY girl died after being left in a car seat overnight in a hotel room as her parents “socialised” in the bar downstairs, a serious case review heard.
Margaret Atherton, 36, and Steven Burke, 29, had gone to Blackpool in 2016 with a one-year-old child and 10-week-old twins.
They said the twins’ carry cot was “too heavy” to carry three fights of stairs to their attic room so they placed them in their car seats, propped up on bunk beds.
One of the twins, Savannah, was found dead at 10am.
She was the third child of the couple’s to die in 16 months, after the deaths of Jackson and Leyton at three days old and 16 months old respectively .
Following Savannah’s death, a criminal investigation was launched, but neither was charged.
Wigan Safeguarding Children Board’s report said she had been born prematurely and was in the high risk category for “sudden and unexpected infant death”.
At an inquest, the coroner reported a narrative verdict.
The couple have since had another child. SEAN-PAUL Mccann is going to hit the ground running on his 40th Birthday.
He will spend the big day on September 23 taking party in the Deep Riverrock Belfast City Half
Marathon.
Sean-paul, from Omagh,
Co Tyrone, said: “If it wasn’t for running, I wouldn’t be here to celebrate my 40th.
“I decided to change my ways for my kids who needed me in their lives, running is needed in mine. This will be a good day.”
For more details visit www.belfastcitymarathon.com.