Baby 'failed by social services'

A coroner said yesterday that social services failed a 13-month-old girl who died in a pool of vomit after being fed a concoction of cheesecake, Weetabix, milk and ice-cream by her stepfather.

After an inquest in Gateshead into the death of Sophie Casey, the South Tyneside coroner, Terence Carney, will deliver a verdict next week.

Sophie died at her home in South Shields in December 1999 after the feeding incident, which left her mouth, eyes and nose covered in vomit.

Mr Carney said: "As far back as August there were obvious concerns raised about the care and the need for more intervention by social services. On any view of the evidence that was not discharged." Mr Carney had already suggested that social services provision was not adequate. Information in case reports was erased.

The inquest was told David Potts, a social worker, had failed to pass the case file to a colleague before going off work on sick leave. Ann Scott, a child protection co-ordinator, said: "I had concerns around July or August about his professionalism ... and his lack of assessment and planning around children. One concern was the way he was managing his files."

Sophie had suffered a fractured skull in August 1999, explained by her mother as accidental, and was also treated at hospital for a decaying piece of sponge jammed in her nostril.

The inquest has heard that many concerns were raised about her surroundings, including the fact that her stepfather was a drug addict.