A two-year-old girl tragically drowned in a back garden in east London, leading to a coroner concluding that she was a victim of “gross failures” largely by social workers. Mazeedat Adeoye was being cared for by an acquaintance of her mother, Balikis Adeoye, while her mother was at the hospital with Mazeedat’s baby brother who needed heart surgery. Adeoye had requested temporary foster care for her daughter during this time, but was denied due to her immigration status, which prevented her from receiving state support.
The coroner found that Adeoye was failed by the local authority children’s services, although social workers believed she had support from family and friends. Mazeedat drowned in a bin containing just 9cm of water while playing alone in the caregiver’s back garden. The coroner criticized the social workers for being “obdurate and stubborn” and noted a “culture of impunity” within the team.
Adeoye expressed her heartbreak over Mazeedat’s death, stating that she had no choice but to leave her daughter in the care of people she did not trust as she had to be with her other child in the hospital. Her lawyer also emphasized that there were missed opportunities for appropriate foster care placement for Mazeedat.
The Newham council, where the incident occurred, stated that they were devastated by Mazeedat’s death and have since overhauled their social work practices. They have pledged to carefully consider the inquest findings and provide further information as requested. The case highlights the importance of ensuring the protection of vulnerable children and learning from past tragedies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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