Hanged girl, 8: social services promise thorough investigation

Social services bosses last night promised a thorough investigation into how an eight-year-old girl on their books came to be found hanged in her bedroom.

The parents of Charlotte Avenall are receiving counselling from the local council and will be given another home to live in if they want it.

Charlotte was found on Saturday morning when her parents Simon and Susan went to wake her and the couple were later questioned under caution but were not arrested. Their son, Alex, five, was taken into care at the weekend.

The girl, who is said to have suffered from severe learning difficulties, had been known to social services all her life although there is no suggestion that she was ever harmed.

Sources told The Times that no one else was involved in the death and it was likely that it was an accident but there were still “other issues” being investigated.

Carers from Nottinghamshire County Council started giving support to Charlotte’s mother after she gave birth when aged 16 and still in care.

Now the authority is to investigate whether more should have been done to help Charlotte, who suffered from severe learning difficulties.

Mick Burrows, te council’s chief executive, said last night: “We are very sorry to hear of the death of this young girl. It is a tragedy. It is clear that our children’s services had been involved with her family. We will investigate this matter thoroughly.

“We take the protection of vulnerable children very seriously. We were working with her family, who were receiving support from the council and a number of other agencies.”

Councillor Philip Owen, the authority’s cabinet member for children and young people’s services, added: “My feelings go out to the parents of this child.

“Until the facts become clear, any further comments would be based on speculation and could prejudice our investigation. It’s a tragedy, whatever the circumstances.”