Mother who killed son at cliffs was ‘a narcissist’
A mother who murdered her fiveyear-old son before jumping to her own death at a beauty spot was a “narcissist who was only happy when she was the centre of attention”, a probe was told. The body of Cheryl Tompsett, 42, from Maidstone, was found at the foot of Beachy Head in East Sussex, while son Leo was discovered part of the way down the cliff face, both having suffered multiple injuries.
Miss Tompsett, a bereavement counsellor who worked with children, had struggled with mental and physical ill health in the months leading up to her death last summer.
An inquest heard the mum was quizzed by police, who were called three times in three days following violent outbursts and arguments with Mark Woodhams, Leo’s father. To ensure children are protected further, Kent Police has rolled out a new strategy in which hundreds of schools across the county are told within 24 hours when one of their pupils is exposed to domestic abuse. A serious case review published by the Kent Safeguarding Children Board (KSCB) found there was no evidence of significant abuse to Leo, referred to as Child H, prior to the death and no professional observed anything that would indicate he was at risk of physical harm.
But the report outlined a series of lessons to be learned. Information about Miss Tompsett’s history and possible mental health risks was not passed on to the family’s health visitor by a midwife, meaning her initial assessment didn’t take those matters into account. Furthermore, reviewers found the risk assessment tool used in domestic abuse cases has “insufficient focus” on emotional abuse and mental health issues, is too focussed on the risk of physical harm and does not address concerns over coercion and control. The police programme, named Operation Encompass, is being led by Detective Chief Inspector Sam Mercer, who said: “When a child is exposed to domestic abuse it can have damaging and long-lasting effects.
“An initial pilot of Operation Encompass was launched in the Deal area in April 2017. It has since been rolled out across the county and a total of 368 schools across Kent and Medway are now informed when a pupil is exposed to domestic abuse.
“We are now looking to expand Operation Encompass further to include children who attend secondary schools.”
Miss Tompsett’s older children described her as a “narcissist”, with the report saying such parents are exclusively and possessively close to their children and may be envious of, and threatened by, their growing independence, which could result in the child being considered to exist solely to fulfil the parent’s wishes and needs.
A court order restricting her access to Leo was granted in a family court.
A potential explanation for the homicide-suicide, the report said, was spousal revenge intended to hurt her ex-partner; a theory that could be supported by the death having occurred on Father’s Day.
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