Foster boy who killed mum was ‘ideal’ for her family
Death inquiry hears of social worker’s verdict
A SOCIAL worker still believes a boy who stabbed his foster mother to death was an ‘ideal’ match for her family, an inquiry has heard. Steven Lorimer s ai d he thought Dawn McKenzie and her husband Bryan were suited to care for the 13-year-old.
Mr Lorimer told a fatal accident inquiry into Mrs McKenzie’s death he did not have any ‘reservations’ about the teen – who cannot be named for legal reasons – moving in with the couple.
The boy had lived with another family before he was placed with Mrs McKenzie, 34, in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, in November 2010.
She was killed in June 2011 at her
‘No indication he was going to be violent ’
home. The boy was jailed for seven years in 2012 after being found guilty of culpable homicide on t he gr ounds of diminished responsibility.
Under questioning Mr Lorimer, who had been the boy’s designated social worker since June 2009, told the inquiry in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, the McKenzies seemed the perfect match for the troubled youngster, who was being moved from his previous carers.
He added: ‘There was no other reasonable resource for him other than a residential unit when he left the family if there wasn’t a placement found.
‘For a child a residential unit is not a good option and can lead to things happening that wouldn’t happen if they were placed with a family.
‘The McKenzies met the criteria for him. You instinctively know who will be a good carer and who will not. They were an ideal placement for him and I still believe that. They appeared to be a couple who were enjoying caring for him and they revelled in it.
‘Mrs McKenzie spoke very fondly of him and he spoke very fondly of them too. It was a successful match and any time I left them thinking things were going well.’
Mr Lorimer said the boy seemed to be happy at the local school, was reaching his expected attainment and had struck up a friendship with Mrs McKenzie’s nephew. He added: ‘ There was no indication that anything untoward was going to happen. There was no mental health diagnosis for him… there was no indication he was going to be violent to anyone.’
Mr Lorimer had earlier told the inquiry a heavy workload and bad weather had prevented him making initial contact when the boy moved in with the McKenzies.
But yesterday he insisted the placing had been handled properly. He said: ‘I would have seen a lot of benefit from him being placed with a young couple who were enthusiastic to have the chance to care for the child. Had I had the chance to visit them, I would have said that at the time, too.
‘Apart from visiting the family I would not have done anything differently with the move between placements.’
The inquiry had earlier heard claims the boy had confronted his mother over the identity of his real father just days before he killed Mrs McKenzie.
The inquiry before Sheriff David Bicket continues.