A major case evaluation discovered that a seven-year-old kid who was weak and had severe asthma died in “horrendous” conditions as a result of the failure of child protection organisations that “could and should have done better.”
In the early hours of November 26, 2017, Hakeem Hussain passed away alone and “gasping for oxygen” in the yard of a residence where he was residing with his inattentive mother, Laura Heath.
In a child protection meeting on a Friday, social workers convened to examine Hakeem’s case; according to the report, this “affected what really transpired since it was late and the conclusion of the working week.”
The youngster “may die at the weekend,” a nurse had warned earlier that day.
Hakeem, who was characterised as bright and effervescent, passed away in the early hours of the following Sunday after this alert—discussed during the meeting—was not quickly followed up on.
The jury was informed that a nurse who was there, together with a family outreach representative from Nechells Primary School, gave Hakeem’s safety a score of 0 out of 10.
The discussion, however, came to a close with an understanding that Heath would talk with the social worker on Monday, by which time Hakeem had passed away.
Similar meetings will no longer be conducted on Fridays moving forward.
After being found guilty by a jury at Coventry Crown Court of the gross negligence manslaughter of her “frail” son, heroin user Heath, 40, was sentenced to prison earlier this year.
She stated: “Hakeem should never have been left with me” in a serious case assessment of the circumstances surrounding her son’s death, which was released today by Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership (BSCP).
A report also discovered:
- Two days before he passed away, a nurse had informed Hakeem that he “may die at the weekend”;
- His mother admitted to the police that she had used three bags of heroin the night before his death;
- His “incapable” mother purposefully “prioritised her addiction to heroin and crack cocaine”;
- The social worker prioritised his mother and “other vulnerable family members… to the detriment of Hakeem”;
- And Hakeem was “gasping for air” just before his “needless” death.
- His father, who was present for a large portion of the trial, was incarcerated at the time of the boy’s death.
She was “tough and difficult to engage” in the months before to Hakeem’s murder, and the study concluded that she lied to his school and social services, frightening certain officials with her actions.
Heath eventually admitted to authorities that she had used three bags of heroin the night her son passed away—two before Hakeem went to bed at 10.30 p.m. and one more afterward—leaving her in a drug-induced coma.
The case assessment was critical of all the services involved, and throughout the trial, the actions or inactions of child safety authorities such as Hakeem’s school, social workers, police, and physicians came into focus.
Andy Couldrick, chief executive of Birmingham Children’s Trust, which took over the city’s child social services in early 2018, said there were “obvious lost chances” in social services’ handling of the case in a statement made shortly after Heath was found guilty.
The boy’s father, who was present for a large portion of the trial, was imprisoned at the time of the boy’s death for an unrelated crime, and Heath had already had other kids placed in foster care.
According to Jonas Hankin QC, who presided over the trial at the time, “incapable” Heath purposefully “prioritised her addiction to heroin and crack cocaine,” leaving Hakeem “gasping for oxygen” just before his “needless” death.
Hakeem’s “unhappiness and anxiety of recurring asthma episodes… and the considerable drop in his attendance and performance at school, did not elicit more effective intervention,” according to Thompson, who called it “horrendous.”
“We have discovered through the serious case analysis that all organisations and people who interacted with Hakeem on a professional level could and could have done better,” she added.
We have a tragedy of a youngster passing away from asthma once again. This is not necessary nor ok.
With the benefit of hindsight, it can be said that it was obvious how neglected Hakeem was when it was decided to put him on a child protection plan two days before he passed away.
“In particular, the school did not properly elevate their concerns; there was a lack of coordination between health care organisations, and his asthma was not discharged in a timely manner.”
The GP did not see a necessity to provide crucial information without authorization due to the possibility of severe injury.
The social worker prioritised (other vulnerable family members) at the expense of Hakeem while attempting to engage constructively with Hakeem’s mother.
When reacting to situations within the residence, “the police did not recognise chances to adequately consider the protection of children.”
The coordinated effort required by many agencies to “allow Hakeem’s needs to be adequately recognised, and his voice heard, was regrettably absent,” according to Ms. Thompson.
The need to hear the child’s voice and comprehend their lived experience, she said, was one of “many themes” drawn from previous case evaluations conducted over the years.
In order to adapt to “changes and performance in school” and to comprehend a child’s “history, identity, and extended family,” the study stated that it was “imperative to exchange information… not to depend on parental agreement.”
She said that Hakeem’s brief existence was marked by his mother’s drug addiction, severe financial struggle, substandard housing, personal repercussions, and conflicting interests for other vulnerable family members.
The life-threatening disease “eventually proved lethal” when combined with Hakeem’s persistent asthma, she noted.
After reviewing the lessons learned, Ms. Thompson concluded: “A lot has changed” (since 2017).
There have also been important advances and enhancements to services provided by the local government, the NHS, and the (West Midlands) Police (Birmingham City Council).
We can promise everyone that lessons learned from Hakeem’s death have led to beneficial and long-lasting reforms in partnerships working for the safety of children, even if we cannot guarantee that no kid will experience neglect or die from asthma.