Preston Davey, another baby P.

This made me want to cry. Babies are so vulnerable and dependant and also most people find them loveable.

I can't help wondering if these two men were paedophiles of a particularly vicious and depraved kind as well as being homosexuals.

I don't agree that same sex couples shouldn't be allowed to adopt as I know three such families and all the children are happy, loved and well cared for.

I think thorough pre-adoption vetting should be carried out in all cases.

I have had relationships with women in my past. I actually find the unwillingness to talk about this issue as deeply problematic and more likely to cause problems for lgb people.
One of the greatest risks to a child is the presence of non biologically related men in the house. This applies to stepfathers/ male partners. So not actually a sexuality issue, but just complicated by the fact that in this type of partnership there are two men.
I think digging down into the statistics would probably be helpful but unlikely to happen.

Galaxy

I have had relationships with women in my past. I actually find the unwillingness to talk about this issue as deeply problematic and more likely to cause problems for lgb people.
One of the greatest risks to a child is the presence of non biologically related men in the house. This applies to stepfathers/ male partners. So not actually a sexuality issue, but just complicated by the fact that in this type of partnership there are two men.
I think digging down into the statistics would probably be helpful but unlikely to happen.

But in any adoption by a heterosexual couple there is a non-biologically related male. I’m not sure where that takes the discussion. The statistics needed would be of all adoptions over a given period, how many of the children were murdered, sexually and/or otherwise abused and then that correlated with same sex/ different sex couples. I actually wonder if the figures would be sufficiently large to be statistically significant. But I still think it’s wrong to make sweeping generalisations about same sex adoptions .

That beautiful baby had one of the most gorgeous smiley faces. To think he must have been unhappy and in pain in his short final months, like so many other innocent little souls is heartbreaking.

Tuliptree

As unspeakably dreadful as this case is, it’s wrong to use it to fuel homophobia when there is no evidence that gay couples are more likely to murder and sexually abuse their adopted children. In 2023 ( last year I could find figures) there were about 3000 adoptions , 1 in 5 of which were by same sex couples. 370 were adopted by male couples and 230 by female couples.. Of course this case must and will be investigated further but I think some of the comments about same sex adopters prejudiced and homophobic .

You think what you like and I’ll think what I like.

Primrose - of course.We’ve both set out what we think. I thought that was how discussion went.

Primrose, I know of a case where the adoptee boy requested a home with only women as he had had bad experiences with men in his birth family.
He chose a lesbian couple, and flourished .

I have only just read about it in The Times.. Poor little chap, how can anyone do that to a little baby? It's beyond anyone's comprehension.
Heartbreaking..

They deserve everything that will happen to them in the future, hopefully it will be painful.

It is very complicated, I think in terms of safeguarding it is important to not shy away from things particularly when we have created these situations.
Lots of people on here will have experienced divorce, remarriage, or experienced their children divorcing, getting remarried. My comments about step parents etc may upset them but that doesn't make these statements any less true. And it isnt a comment on the rights and wrongs of divorce or step parents, it is about what safeguards we put in place for children.

Yes, it should always be about the Child.

The senior police officer who led the investigation said they found no previous interest in sexually abusing children. Presumably the investigation included searching the history on their phones and laptops tops. It seems obvious a sexual interest in this infant started soon after placement. The physical damage they caused this baby over such a short period by sexually abusing him is horrific, they must have known this. As for the psychological and emotional damage, it’s hard to even think about.
If they didn’t set out to adopt with a view to a sexual play thing, it quickly became so. These things don’t happen without the couple sharing fantasies.

Yes, Iam64, that would be a good way of checking out prospective parents. And then be wary of people who had 'lost' their phones.

Conflicted about the information that the names of the Social Workers are now in the public domain.
Social Work is seriously depleted of staff. This is part of the 'over seeing' problem.

In this case I would give the social workers a break.

Vetting of children for adoption can never get it right 100% of the time. There will be cases where everything looks hunky dory, but hides a sinister purpose not visible to the social worker and not showing in background checks. Paedophiles are usually highly manipulative people who know how to hide in full sight.

I cannot think too much about this beautiful little soul being tortured and killed it makes me weep.
Such utterly depraved and sadistic perversions are beyond heinous and as well as being locked up these evil individuals should be castrated. I believe men can be chemically castrated but I really don’t care how they do it.

It would seem highly unusual though Iam64? That there was no history or other issues.

Yet another tragic case. It makes harrowing reading but what distresses me as much as the actual cruelty is that nothing changes. I appreciate that many services are seriously stretched but all too often we read about the agencies being fobbed off with flimsy excuses from the parents. Wouldn't that, in itself, wave a red flag? Communication between those involved with monitoring a child seems non-existent. No one joins up the dots.
Admiral Grace Hopper said that the most dangerous in our language is 'We have always done it this way'. For me that phrase is 'Lessons will be learned' because they never are.

I cried and cried. It's just so shocking. I can't bear to read any further details. Bless this dear little baby.

I was reading that the foster mother had a gut feeling that something was not right. She should have been listened to.
Her heart must be absolutely broken knowing what happened to Preston as she and her husband cared for him for months.

Social Services fall over themselves to be politically correct in deciding who can adopt children in care but I still believe that the child’s needs come before any of that PC rubbish which is all too prevalent nowadays.

Primrose53

I was reading that the foster mother had a gut feeling that something was not right. She should have been listened to.
Her heart must be absolutely broken knowing what happened to Preston as she and her husband cared for him for months.

Social Services fall over themselves to be politically correct in deciding who can adopt children in care but I still believe that the child’s needs come before any of that PC rubbish which is all too prevalent nowadays.

There is no evidence that social services fall over themselves to be pc when deciding who can adopt. Absolutely none.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with being gay, or lesbian (think baby Star). These people are out & out psychopaths. They are such good liars.
They must have been, to talk the Social works round.

Tuliptree

Primrose53

I was reading that the foster mother had a gut feeling that something was not right. She should have been listened to.
Her heart must be absolutely broken knowing what happened to Preston as she and her husband cared for him for months.

Social Services fall over themselves to be politically correct in deciding who can adopt children in care but I still believe that the child’s needs come before any of that PC rubbish which is all too prevalent nowadays.

There is no evidence that social services fall over themselves to be pc when deciding who can adopt. Absolutely none.

Some of us who have had direct dealings with social work would beg to differ when it comes to 'ticking the pc box'. I almost lost my GS because of sw failings.

Was this an adoption case?

I wonder how thorough the vetting procedure was From what was reported they didn't seem to have much idea of what prospective parenthood would entail

The police have released videos of Preston with these two. The contrast in his eyes and demeanor living with them and the happy smiley baby he was before is unmistakable. Why did nobody see it when I can see it from watching a very short video online in the Daily Mail?

They were very clever at creating an illusion I think. Lots of expensive toys but no love and care for this poor little baby.

It’s sickening.