My heartache over neglected children

Feb 22 2009 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

Despite admitting to neglecting her son, she and her sister Stacey maintain no one discovered the injuries until the mum took action.

She said: I went to the hospital on April 1 when I thought he had a high temperature, and I was sent away with some paracetamol.

He was supposed to have already had some injuries caused by Michael by then, but no one noticed.

On April 26 I came home from being out and found that his arm didnt look right.

Michael just said the baby was hungry and wanted his bottle and said I should go to the hospital on my own saying Ill just lose my rag and theyll think it was me.

At hospital they did some X-rays and thats when the police got involved. I pleaded guilty because I know I had not protected my children enough, and Im always going to wonder what I could have done to spot what had been going on.

The youngster and Lynettes other son who celebrates his third birthday this week were immediately taken into care. Lynette now faces a tense four-month wait while North Tyneside social services compile reports and decide whether or not her children can be returned to her.

She said: "The three of them are with the same foster family so they are all together, and I get to see the boys three times a week and Ill see my daughter five times a week.

"I've got a solicitor now and were fighting to get the family together.

Meanwhile, her sister Stacey, 26, and many friends are rallying round to help her through what has been arguably the worst week of her life.

Stacey added: "It's hard for Lynette to walk through the streets because the public may think she knew about what Michael was doing and didnt help, but no one picked up on his injuries until she took him to hospital.

"For what she has been through I just want to wrap her up and tell her its all going to be all right.