Authorities 'missed opportunities' to help families of two murdered toddlers who were both shaken to death in their homes within three months of each other, report finds

There were 'missed opportunities' and 'critical moments' where authorities could have helped the families of two toddlers who were murdered at home, a safeguarding review has revealed.

Maya Chappell, two, was subjected to frequent assaults and ultimately shaken to death by her mother's new boyfriend Michael Daymond, while he was angry over losing benefits. He was convicted of murder and her mother, Dana Carr, was convicted of allowing her death.

In a separate case Dwelaniyah Robinson, three, suffered severe burns and was beaten with a cane by his mother Christina Robinson, who was convicted of murdering him by violent shaking or an impact to the head. She claimed to be following teachings in the Bible by inflicting beatings on the youngster.

Both tragic child murders happened within three months of each other in 2022 and in the Durham County Council area.

Neither family were involved with social services prior to the murders. 

The local authority has now completed a joint child safeguarding practice review to learn lessons from the 'deeply distressing cases.' Such reviews are often carried out when a child has died or come to serious harm.

The independent report by social work consultant Suzy Kitching made nine recommendations and concluded there were 'a number of opportunities where additional support and services could have been offered' to both children's families.

The review identified two instances where the children's fathers raised concerns with police but these were not passed on to social services.

Maya's father expressed concerns about Daymond after he started living with the toddler and her mother Dana Carr, who was jailed for nine years for 'turning a blind eye' to the abuse.

He asked police if he had a history of domestic violence or child sex offences under 'Claire's Law' and 'Sarah's Law.'

Police contacted Carr by phone but officers then closed the matter because she claimed to be no longer in a relationship with Daymond, the report states.

It said: 'The decision to close the request, based solely on mother's self-report and no follow-up face-to-face visit, showed a limited understanding of the nature of intimate partner violence and abuse and its impact. 

'It also prevented any further opportunity to collate details about mother's new partner and assess any risks through a Claire's Law disclosure.'

It added that 'whilst further safeguarding checks should have been progressed' by the force there was no suggestion that this failure contributed to Maya's death.

Previously Dwelaniyah's father had told police in Stockton-on-Tees that he had been assaulted by his wife, but did not make a formal complaint.

He subsequently said his wife 'was a wonderful mother and did not want to pursue' the domestic abuse matter.

The report said: 'There is no information to suggest a referral was made to children's services but given the context of the referral i.e., men are less likely to report an incident than women, a proactive referral to children's services would have been helpful here'.

Lack of continuity in health visiting services was highlighted as another factor in the toddlers' deaths.

In Dwelaniyah's case, the report notes: 'There were nine health visitors and two early years practitioners involved with the family inevitably complicating the transfer of information and potentially impacting on continuity of care.'

For Maya's family there were five health visitors involved as well as a duty health visitor giving phone advice.

In the two weeks before Maya was murdered Carr 'contacted the health visiting service and spoke to a duty health visitor requesting support'.

A home visit was recommended, but because Carr had moved house the matter was passed on to a new health visiting team.

The home visit should have taken place within two weeks but 'within two weeks events overtook' this deadline and Maya had been murdered.

The report's author found 'there was nothing to indicate an urgent response was needed' when the two week deadline was set.

Ms Kitching states in the report 'there is a risk of applying hindsight bias and seeking to overestimate what could have been known or done particularly as most of the information about the children and families was only known after the incident.'

Adding: 'However, across both cases, there were opportunities or acute moments where some support may have helped the families'.

She said there was a need for professionals dealing with families to be 'more curious' and 'think critically about situations and events.'

The report concludes there is 'learning' in relation to children and families from the review but crucially 'there is nothing to say this could have prevented the tragic deaths of these two young children.'

Dave Ashton, chair of the Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership, said: 'These are deeply distressing cases resulting in the tragic deaths of two young children, and our thoughts and sympathies are very much with all those who loved and cared for them.'

He added: 'The learning arising from the review has been shared across the partnership and we are working together to implement the recommendations.'

Daymond, 27, was given a life sentence and a minimum 20-year term after being convicted of Maya's murder last November at Teesside Crown Court.

Robinson, 30, was found guilty of her son's murder in March following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court and is yet to be sentenced.