Maria Colwell

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Maria Colwell
Born 26 March 1965
Whitehawk, Brighton, England
Died 6 January 1973 (age 7)
Brighton, England
(severe physical abuse)
Parents William Kepple (step father); Pauline Colwell (mother)

Maria Colwell (March 26, 1965 - January 6, 1973) was an English child who was killed by her step father in 1973[1]. The case was widely reported at the time and resulted in a public enquiry. Her name stayed in the public consciousness and was often referred back to when similar cases came to light.

Contents

[edit] Life and death

Born in 1965, Maria was fostered at an early age and her surrogate parents found her a happy normal little girl.[2]

Her situation changed drastically[3] when she returned to live with her biological mother Pauline[4] on the Whitehawk council estate in Brighton England.

Pauline was no longer living with Maria's father, and she now had a new partner called William Kepple. He had children of his own and had no compunction in favouring them,[5] for example buying them ice creams and requiring Maria to watch as they ate them.

A notable fact about the case is that concerns were communicated to various agencies by many neighbours and teachers[6]. Nevertheless somehow she was allowed to remain with Kepple and her step siblings, almost a walking skeleton.[7]

On the night of 6 January 1973 she was wheeled in a pram to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton with horrific injuries, which proved to be fatal.

[edit] Aftermath

The tragedy captured the public’s attention and the press called for action.[8] Despite the publication of a book urging the tragedy not to be forgotten[9] it took over 30 years before agencies were required by law to guarantee the free-flow of information.[10]

The Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Care and Supervision Provided in Relation to Maria Colwell chaired by Thomas Gilbert Field Fisher, a Recorder of the Crown Court identified three main contributory factors: the lack of communication between the agencies aware of her vulnerable situation; inadequate training for social workers assigned to at risk children; and changes in the make up of society.

"It is not enough for the State as representing society to assume responsibility for those such as Maria" Fisher[11]

[edit] Subsequent developments

Despite the local authority commissioning its own response to Fisher’s findings Children at risk : a study by the East Sussex County Council into the problems revealed by the Report of the Inquiry into the case of Maria Colwell[12] and repeated “it must never happen again” press articles][13] there were several high profile cases after the Colwell case (for example Heidi Koseda[14] , Jasmine Beckford[15] and Toni-Ann Byfield) before the Victoria Climbie findings[16] finally generated the government legislation known as Every Child Matters.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Tragedy of Maria Colwell Scott,P.D: British Journal of J Criminology.1975; 15: 88-90
  2. ^ The Times, Tuesday, Oct 23, 1973; pg. 3; Issue 58920; col A Foster-parents not told of decision to move girl
  3. ^ Wave Trust A tale of 10 children
  4. ^ The Times, Wednesday, Oct 17, 1973; pg. 2; Issue 58915; col F Criticism of girl's return to her mother
  5. ^ The Times, Thursday, May 31, 1973; pg. 2; Issue 58796; col F Step father's preferrential treatment
  6. ^ The Times, Wednesday, Oct 10, 1973; pg. 4; Issue 58909; col A Thirty complaints of ill-treatment before girl died-QC
  7. ^ The Times, Thursday, Oct 11, 1973; pg. 3; Issue 58910; col A Girl was like a skeleton, neighbour tells inquiry
  8. ^ "Social work, child abuse and the press" Wroe,A: Norwich, Social Work Monographs, 1988 ISBN 0946751498
  9. ^ "Remember Maria”Howells,JG: London, Butterworth 1974 ISBN 040738541X
  10. ^ "Scandal, Social Policy and Social Welfare" Butler,I;Drakefore,M: Bristol Policy, 2005 ISBN 1861347464
  11. ^ Great Britain. Committee of Inquiry into the Care and Supervision Provided in Relation to Maria Colwell London HMSO 1974 ISBN 0113205961
  12. ^ Lewes, East Sussex District Council, 1975 ISBN 0900348216
  13. ^ Guardian article by Chris Hanvey
  14. ^ "Journal of Family Therapy" Volume 15 Issue 1 Page 57-64, February 1993 Duncan,S; Gray,M;Reder,P Child protection dilemmas in a ‘not-existing’ pattern of abuse
  15. ^ Beckford case
  16. ^ Climbie Colwell link