Source: www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk
Be at peace, sweet child’: Villagers give poignant funeral to mystery baby whose body was found dumped in a brook - Daily Mail
- The boy, around a month old, was abandoned on the banks of a stream last October
- His body wrapped in an Asda fleece was discovered by a dog walker in a remote rural area of Kirkham, Lancs
- Despite a major public appeal for information the mother was never traced
By Liz Hull
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THE pale blue coffin was so small the pallbearer carried it into church in his arms.
A steady stream of mourners, many fighting back tears, followed him, all wishing to pay their respects to the boy with no name who was found dumped by a stream.
The child – no more than a month old – had lain undiscovered, his body wrapped in a fleece, until a dog walker stumbled across him eight months ago in a remote part of Lancashire. Despite extensive inquiries, his parents have never been found.
Tragic: The coffin was carried into the church by a funeral director whilst floral wreaths and teddy bears were laid at the church paying tribute to the 'llittle angel' and saying 'Be at peace sweet child'
Tributes: The boy no more than a month old was born full term but was abandoned on the banks of a stream last October
So he will lie in a grave with a headstone carved with the words ‘Baby boy found in Kirkham’.
Despite never knowing the love of a family, however, his passing did not go unmourned.
The poignant burial was attended by scores of locals at St Michael’s Parish Church, Kirkham.
Moved by his story, they clubbed together to raise 1,000 to pay for the service.
Grief: All members of the community were invited to the funeral. The order of service entitled 'Funeral Service for a baby boy' was headed by the words: 'celebrate life'
The coffin was carried into the church by funeral director Bill Crawford, whilst floral wreaths and teddy bears were laid outside paying tribute to the ‘Little angel’ or ‘Little Moses’.
One card read: ‘Be at peace sweet child.’ The order of service, entitled ‘Funeral service for a baby boy’ was headed with the words ‘Celebrate life.’
Mourners sang the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful, and listened to readings of Psalm 139 by three local primary school headteachers and a passage from Mark Chapter 10 by Detective Inspector Martin Clague, one of the officers investigating the case.
Detective Chief Inspector Andrea Barrow, of Lancashire Constabulary, who is leading the inquiry, lit a candle during the 30-minute service and BBC’s Crimewatch, which featured an appeal to trace the baby’s family, sent flowers.
Touching: Tributes were left by shocked members of the community - Lancashire Police are still desperately searching for the family of the boy
The service concluded with a rendition of Brahms’s Lullaby, sung by the church choir.
‘Some cases get to you, and this is one,’ DCI Barrow said. ‘We will never give up hope of learning how the little boy came to be placed in this remote area.
‘It was so far off the beaten track, it could have only been known to someone familiar with the locality.
‘Whoever did this will remember it every day of their lives. It will be immensely traumatic. That’s why it’s important they get help too, tell us what happened.’
She added: ‘We don’t know whether he ever lived after birth. We don’t know the cause of death. We don’t want to speculate. Someone out there knows what happened. It is not too late to talk to us. We’ve still got a team working on this case.
Mystery: Even his ethnicity remains unknown, although DNA and forensic tests continue
‘We will not rest and leave no stone unturned until we get to the bottom of exactly what has happened.
‘The people of Kirkham have clearly been deeply moved and I would like to thank them for pulling together in the face of this tragedy to raise money and offer their services so that this little boy can be put to rest.’ A Blackpool council bin bag was found close to the baby’s body beside two towels, one green and one with a Union Jack motif.
Officers released an image of the fleece which swaddled him, with the emblem of the Asda supermarket on it, in the hope it would be recognised.
They also posted an advert on Facebook, which has attracted 1,900 views, and a YouTube video appeal, which has reached more than 2,500 people, but so far nobody has come forward.
A man of 35 was arrested on suspicion of murder, claiming he had been involved in the death of the infant, but released without charge after detectives concluded he had nothing to do with the tragedy.
Following the service, the Reverend Richard Bunday, vicar of Kirkham, said it provided the community with a chance to ‘pause, reflect and consider the precious gift of human life’.
‘This potential was not given to the baby boy and so we mourn his passing, but remind ourselves he is held by God and enfolded in his love,’ he said.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Kent urges all councils to place looked-after children closer to home - Children & Young People Now
Kent County Council has made a plea to all local authorities to place children in care closer to home, after revealing that 1,267 children are placed in Kent from other parts of the country.
Kent has 1,267 placed in the county from other parts of England. Image Kent County Council
Leader of the council Paul Carter has written to London mayor Boris Johnson calling for a summit of London councils to discuss how they can better work together to find foster carers and residential children’s home placements in the capital.
There are currently 1,267 looked-after children placed with independent fostering agencies and privately registered children's homes in Kent by other local authorities.
Carter has also written to children's commissioner for England Maggie Atkinson to highlight the issue.
“Being taken into care is probably the most traumatic thing that can happen to a child,” Carter said.
“Children in care deserve a better deal and all councils must work much harder to provide placements that enable them to remain in their schools and with their friends, unless there is a threat to their safety.
“This will minimise disruption in their lives and protect the wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable children."
The council has said that supporting its 1,790 looked-after children, including 181 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, as well as the 1,267 looked-after children placed by other local authorities, is placing massive pressures on children's social services, schools, police and health services.
There are 63 privately registered children's homes and 32 independent fostering providers in Kent, catering for 803 children placed by London councils and other authorities including Manchester.
Carter and Jenny Whittle, Kent’s cabinet member for specialist children’s services, met with children's minister Tim Loughton to call for legislation that would place a statutory obligation for local authorities to place children no more than 15 miles away from their home or school, unless in exceptional circumstances.
The legislation proposed by Kent would also require all councils to provide an annual statement to their local safeguarding children board detailing how many children are placed outside their local authority boundary and what safeguards have been put in place to protect these children from harm.
It would also require all 32 London councils to jointly commission fostering placements and residential children home placements in London.
Carter added: "Following the recent conviction of nine members of a sex-grooming network in Rochdale, all councils must make sure they can properly safeguard teenagers placed in residential children’s homes, particularly those placed many miles from home, which increases their sense of vulnerability.”
Source: www.cypnow.co.uk
Four Kent men held after raids on suspected internet paedophiles - Kent Online
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Four men have been arrested in Kent as part of an operation against suspected internet paedophiles.
Officers from Kent Police carried out raids on homes in Rochester, Gillingham, Maidstone and Herne Bay.
The arrests, on suspicion of downloading indecent images, were made over two days this week.
Two men aged 25 and 50 from Gillingham and a 43-year-old from Maidstone have now been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
A 49-year-old man from Herne Bay remains in police custody.
Across Britain, 76 people were arrested in raids.
The operation, led by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), was overseen in Kent by DS David Shipley.
He said: "Over the past two days Kent Police have executed four warrants at homes in Kent, all of which resulted in the arrest of adult males who are believed to be actively engaged in downloading indecent images.
"We remain dedicated to targeting those individuals who possess indecent images of children and we were keen to support this national operation organised by CEOP who provide a valuable contribution to the fight against child abuse.”
Thursday, June 14 2012
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Source: www.kentonline.co.uk
Suspected child sex offenders arrested by Kent Police - Kent News
Dean Kilpatrick, Reporter
Thursday, June 14, 2012
2:31 PM
Four men have been arrested as part of a nationwide campaign
Four men have been arrested by Kent Police as part of a nationwide campaign to target known and suspected child sex offenders.
The arrests were made on June 12 and June 13 after 4 search warrants were issued as part of the operation co-ordinated by Child Exploitation and Online Protection.
Those arrested were a 43-year-old man from Maidstone, a 25-year-old man from Gillingham, a 49-year-old man from Herne Bay and a 50-year old man from Rochester.
Detective Sergeant David Shipley, who oversaw the Kent offensive, said: “Over the past two days, Kent Police have executed 4 warrants at home in Kent, all of which resulted in the arrest of adult makes who are believed to be actively engaged in downloading indecent images.
“We remain dedicated to targeting those individuals who possess indecent images of children and we are keen to support this national operation organised by CEOP who provide a valuable contribution to the fight against child abuse.”
Deputy Chief Executive of CEOP Andy Baker added: “Behind every case of possession of indecent images lies the potential that contact sexual offences are taking place.
“No stone should be left unturned in order to identify and protect those children and CEOP will continue to work to support police and child protection organisations to do just that.”
Source: www.kentnews.co.uk
Rip gorgeous little boy you are with the Angels now they can look after you. Its heartbreaking :(
- Lucas's Mummy, Manchester Uk, 14/6/2012 19:52
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