Doctors Knew Of Infanticide Plan

A disturbed woman who killed her child and herself could - and should - have been stopped.

According to relatives, the little girl killed by her mentally disturbed mother would still be alive today if social services had stepped in - or doctors had acted on the ill woman's 'suicide plan'.

Nine-year-old Lauren O'Neill was killed by her suicidal mother Madeline, who then tragically, killed herself at their home in Carryduff in July 2005.

The Eastern and Western Health Boards has now received the findings of the report into the tragedy last May and say they are taking action on its findings.

Mrs O'Neill was separated from her husband John at the time of the tragedy and John O'Neill said he would be haunted forever by the thought that Lauren could still be alive.

The death of the little girl and her mother shocked the entire community.

The report into the death of the mentally ill woman and the killing of her child was made public today and it has shown that doctors and medical professionals were actually aware of the woman's own self-confessed plan to kill her child and herself - yet failed to prevent it happening.

Mr O'Neill has called for robust action on the findings of the report.

He said he believed "those who bear responsibility for these untimely deaths should be held fully accountable for their shameful neglect of care".

The inquiry has been examining mental health care received by Mrs O'Neill as well as child protection issues raised by the case.

Mrs O'Neill was originally from Londonderry, and received her last medical care in the city's Gransha Hospital.

She was also in the care of Knockbracken Health Care Park in south Belfast close to where she lived, when she and Lauren died.

(BMcC)