Ocean
The Living Force
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1079509_mum_arrested_over_stabbed_boys
Mum arrested over stabbed boys
Romario and Delayno Mullings-Sewell
13/11/2008
A YOUNG mum arrested after the murder of her baby son and his toddler brother has been sectioned under the mental health act.
Jael Cummings, 21, rang her own mother to say that her two-year-old son Romario Mullings-Sewell and his three-month-old brother Delayno were dead.
The bodies of the two boys were later found by police at their house in Kilmington Drive, Cheetham Hill. They had been stabbed in the chest.
An urgent review has been launched by social services after it was confirmed that the family was known to the local authorities. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is also looking at the way Greater Manchester Police responded to the case.
Details have emerged of a 'frantic' police search prompted by a concerned GP just hours before the boys' bodies were found.
The MEN can reveal the boys' mother had called her GP surgery apparently in a state of distress earlier in the day
The doctor was so concerned about the mental state of the woman that he went round to the house and called police.
Officers visited the house, which they found empty, and then widened their search to two other addresses in Greater Manchester desperately trying to find the mother.
They were then phoned later in the day by the boys' grandmother who broke the news that the children were dead.
A police source said: "It looks like in the meanwhile she's (the boys'mother) returned home and the kids have been killed. We did everything we could to find her."
It is understood the mother had been under the care of social services although she had been `signed off' from their care earlier this year. Her children were not thought to be on the `at risk' register.
The boys' father was being comforted by a police family liaison officer today.
Neighbours told how in the hours before the murders the boys' mother, who had only recently moved into the house, had been seen screaming in the street, and marching up and down.
Sandra Barnes, 41, said: "She was shouting `Are you going to bomb me? Are you going to shoot me?' People were bringing their kids inside. I have held that little baby. He was such a sweet thing - both the boys were.
"We can't believe this has happened. Both the children were always smartly dressed in little track suits. She was very moody but we never expected anything like this. I would say hello to her occasionally, sometimes she wouldn't answer but she seemed pleasant enough when you got the chance to speak to her."
Stressed
Another resident said she appeared to be `nervous, edgy and stressed'.
Today police had blocked off part of the street and a police mobile incident unit was outside the house.
The eldest child is believed to have attended the nearby Cheetham's Children's Centre, based in the Fulmead Children's Family House.
The manager described how the mum had argued with her on the day of the attack.
She said: "She was screaming to me about her son and then stormed out."
Another resident said that she knew the arrested woman.
She said: "She is one of three brothers and sisters. I don't know her so well but I know the family. It's just really shocking what's happened."
Blackley MP Graham Stringer said: "There needs to be a full investigation and analysis of all the professionals that either have or could have been involved in this case."
A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission said: "We are going to carry out an assessment to see if there's anything for us to investigate."
Police and paramedics who found the bodies have been offered counselling.
A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service said: "It was a very distressing scene. We sent two crews. They were all offered counselling. They took some time out to gather themselves and then went back out on the road."
A statement from the boys’ family said: "This family had two beautiful, innocent children called Romario who was just two years old and his brother, Delayno, who had only been born in July this year.
"We, as a family, are struggling to come to terms with the tragic events of yesterday afternoon and we cannot even begin to understand what happened.
"Everybody is completely devastated .We hope that wherever the boys have gone to they are at peace."
Detective Superintendent Shaun Donnellan, was asked whether he believed officers had responded correctly. He said: “I do believe they did. Absolutely 100 per cent.”
He said that the father was receiving counselling from police.
He said that local police had visited the address on several previous occasions for unrelated matters and that the mother was known to them for minor criminal matters.
It was not yet possible to say when the children had been killed, the senior officer added. Although the two boys had each received a single stab wound to their abdomen.
This afternoon several floral tributes along with five cuddly toys had been left outside the family home.
Melissa Bell, 23, has known Jael since they were children.
She said: “I heard last night. It must have been depression for her to have done something like this. Everyone does get down but I don’t think there’s enough help. I should have known she was depressed but I never asked.
“I’ve know her since I was a little girl. Her little boy was so well-behaved. She moved to the area where her mum and grandma live.
“She wouldn’t have done it in a normal state of mind. It was a really sad cry for help.”
Melissa last saw Jael on October 29. They were planning a night out in Leeds.
Pauline Newman, director of children’s services at Manchester council, said: “This is an appalling tragedy and we offer our sincere condolences to the family and family friends of these two young children.
“I can confirm that this family were known to Children’s Services. Children’s Social Care were not currently involved with the family, however in recent months the family were in receipt of community support services including nursery and childminding provision, whilst mother was attending higher education classes.
“I am currently involved with my senior staff team in urgently considering the nature, extent, and appropriateness of Children’s Services’ involvement with the family. This will be an important part of the multi agency Serious Case Review process carried out by Manchester Safeguarding Children’s Board. This results in a review which is independently chaired - the product of which is an independently written report under the statutory framework of ’Working Together’.”
Mum arrested over stabbed boys
Romario and Delayno Mullings-Sewell
13/11/2008
A YOUNG mum arrested after the murder of her baby son and his toddler brother has been sectioned under the mental health act.
Jael Cummings, 21, rang her own mother to say that her two-year-old son Romario Mullings-Sewell and his three-month-old brother Delayno were dead.
The bodies of the two boys were later found by police at their house in Kilmington Drive, Cheetham Hill. They had been stabbed in the chest.
An urgent review has been launched by social services after it was confirmed that the family was known to the local authorities. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is also looking at the way Greater Manchester Police responded to the case.
Details have emerged of a 'frantic' police search prompted by a concerned GP just hours before the boys' bodies were found.
The MEN can reveal the boys' mother had called her GP surgery apparently in a state of distress earlier in the day
The doctor was so concerned about the mental state of the woman that he went round to the house and called police.
Officers visited the house, which they found empty, and then widened their search to two other addresses in Greater Manchester desperately trying to find the mother.
They were then phoned later in the day by the boys' grandmother who broke the news that the children were dead.
A police source said: "It looks like in the meanwhile she's (the boys'mother) returned home and the kids have been killed. We did everything we could to find her."
It is understood the mother had been under the care of social services although she had been `signed off' from their care earlier this year. Her children were not thought to be on the `at risk' register.
The boys' father was being comforted by a police family liaison officer today.
Neighbours told how in the hours before the murders the boys' mother, who had only recently moved into the house, had been seen screaming in the street, and marching up and down.
Sandra Barnes, 41, said: "She was shouting `Are you going to bomb me? Are you going to shoot me?' People were bringing their kids inside. I have held that little baby. He was such a sweet thing - both the boys were.
"We can't believe this has happened. Both the children were always smartly dressed in little track suits. She was very moody but we never expected anything like this. I would say hello to her occasionally, sometimes she wouldn't answer but she seemed pleasant enough when you got the chance to speak to her."
Stressed
Another resident said she appeared to be `nervous, edgy and stressed'.
Today police had blocked off part of the street and a police mobile incident unit was outside the house.
The eldest child is believed to have attended the nearby Cheetham's Children's Centre, based in the Fulmead Children's Family House.
The manager described how the mum had argued with her on the day of the attack.
She said: "She was screaming to me about her son and then stormed out."
Another resident said that she knew the arrested woman.
She said: "She is one of three brothers and sisters. I don't know her so well but I know the family. It's just really shocking what's happened."
Blackley MP Graham Stringer said: "There needs to be a full investigation and analysis of all the professionals that either have or could have been involved in this case."
A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission said: "We are going to carry out an assessment to see if there's anything for us to investigate."
Police and paramedics who found the bodies have been offered counselling.
A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service said: "It was a very distressing scene. We sent two crews. They were all offered counselling. They took some time out to gather themselves and then went back out on the road."
A statement from the boys’ family said: "This family had two beautiful, innocent children called Romario who was just two years old and his brother, Delayno, who had only been born in July this year.
"We, as a family, are struggling to come to terms with the tragic events of yesterday afternoon and we cannot even begin to understand what happened.
"Everybody is completely devastated .We hope that wherever the boys have gone to they are at peace."
Detective Superintendent Shaun Donnellan, was asked whether he believed officers had responded correctly. He said: “I do believe they did. Absolutely 100 per cent.”
He said that the father was receiving counselling from police.
He said that local police had visited the address on several previous occasions for unrelated matters and that the mother was known to them for minor criminal matters.
It was not yet possible to say when the children had been killed, the senior officer added. Although the two boys had each received a single stab wound to their abdomen.
This afternoon several floral tributes along with five cuddly toys had been left outside the family home.
Melissa Bell, 23, has known Jael since they were children.
She said: “I heard last night. It must have been depression for her to have done something like this. Everyone does get down but I don’t think there’s enough help. I should have known she was depressed but I never asked.
“I’ve know her since I was a little girl. Her little boy was so well-behaved. She moved to the area where her mum and grandma live.
“She wouldn’t have done it in a normal state of mind. It was a really sad cry for help.”
Melissa last saw Jael on October 29. They were planning a night out in Leeds.
Pauline Newman, director of children’s services at Manchester council, said: “This is an appalling tragedy and we offer our sincere condolences to the family and family friends of these two young children.
“I can confirm that this family were known to Children’s Services. Children’s Social Care were not currently involved with the family, however in recent months the family were in receipt of community support services including nursery and childminding provision, whilst mother was attending higher education classes.
“I am currently involved with my senior staff team in urgently considering the nature, extent, and appropriateness of Children’s Services’ involvement with the family. This will be an important part of the multi agency Serious Case Review process carried out by Manchester Safeguarding Children’s Board. This results in a review which is independently chaired - the product of which is an independently written report under the statutory framework of ’Working Together’.”
