High Court judge to investigate death of disabled 11-year-old boy who drowned in bath
A High Court judge is to examine evidence surrounding the death of an 11-year-old disabled boy who drowned in a bath at his home.
The youngster, who had cerebral palsy and could not walk, died earlier this year.
Social services bosses at Lincolnshire County Council (pictured) have asked Mrs Justice Lieven to make decisions relating to the care of other children in the family.
Mrs Justice Lieven, who is based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, has outlined detail of the proceedings in a written preliminary ruling.
She said police had decided not to charge either of the boy’s parents with murder or manslaughter.
The judge, who had considered preliminary legal issues at a private hearing, said she would consider evidence relating to the boy’s death at a future hearing.
She said the family had a “long history of social services involvement” and concerns had centred on “physical harm, lack of supervision, domestic abuse, and neglect”.
“(The boy) had cerebral palsy, could not walk, move, hold his body weight and was non-verbal,” said Mrs Justice Lieven in a written ruling published on Thursday.
“The family has a long history of social services involvement from 2011-18.
“Concerns have centred on physical harm, lack of supervision, domestic abuse, and neglect.”
She added: “There is no dispute that (the boy) died from drowning in the bath. He was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.”
She said the family could not be identified in media reports of the case.
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