A 31-year-old single mother has been sentenced to seven years in prison for leaving her seven-month-old baby to drown in a bath while she played a video game on her phone.
A Tragic Accident or Blatant Neglect?
Charlie Goodall fell over in an unstable bath seat and drowned because his mother, Danielle Massey, wasn’t there to pick him up. Massey had a history of neglect and had previously had two young children taken from her care after she left them alone in a hostel for 45 minutes while she went shopping.
A Web of Lies
Massey initially claimed that she left the bathroom momentarily to get a towel from upstairs, suffered an asthma attack, and may have fallen asleep while recovering on the sofa. However, it was later revealed that she was “active and awake” and playing a game on her mobile phone, oblivious to her baby’s fate.
Justice Served
Mr. Justice Goss told Teesside Crown Court that Massey didn’t intend to cause her son harm, but her blatant disregard for the risk of death resulted in his tragic death. “His tragic death is the consequence of your blatant disregard for the risk of death resulting from your negligent conduct that afternoon,” he said.
Questions Raised About Social Services
The tragedy also raises serious questions about social services, which ended a child protection plan for Charlie just six days before he died, believing he was safe to be cared for alone by Massey.
A History of Neglect and Substance Abuse
Massey, a habitual cannabis user, had smoked a joint several hours before the incident, but it was impossible to be sure if that had an effect on her when Charlie was left unsupervised in the bath. Her house was in a “chaotic” and “extremely untidy and unclean state,” consistent with a general background of neglect.
A Preventable Tragedy
Charlie was recognized as being at risk from birth and had spent the first four months of his life in a local authority “mother and baby unit.” Massey was taught how to safely give a baby a bath as part of the social services monitoring. However, when they moved out to live independently, Charlie remained under the legally enforceable child protection plan. This plan was formally ended just six days before his death, and a “voluntary” arrangement was put in place instead.
A Mother’s Grief and Regret
Massey tearfully told the court how she started giving Charlie CPR and continued under the instructions of an operator until paramedics arrived. She later told a police officer, “It’s all my fault. I have killed my baby.”
A Sentence and a Warning
Massey was jailed for seven years for manslaughter by gross negligence and possession of cannabis. Her case serves as a warning to all parents about the dangers of neglect and the importance of prioritizing their children’s safety above all else.