Toddler neglect case report 'must be made public' » Communities » 24dash.com

A report into why a toddler, locked in his mother's kitchen for a weekend while she went out to party, was taken off an at-risk register must be made public, a councillor said today.

Kelly Tollerton (pictured) used a baby-gate to pen her two-year-old son in her flooded kitchen. He was found in soiled clothes and only had dirty laundry for a bed, her trial heard.

After the 23-year-old mother was jailed for child cruelty in June, Lincolnshire County Council launched an investigation in to why it removed the toddler from its at risk register after only a year.

Lincoln Crown Court heard the council was aware of the child's plight in September 2004.

He was visited by a health worker who found he "often had a sore bottom and a sore neck" and was under-weight.

But in September 2005, the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was removed from the council's at-risk register after he started at a nursery.

The authority is also currently subject to four serious case reviews, including an investigation into its part in failing to help two women raped by their father over more than 25 years.

Lincolnshire County Council originally said it planned to reveal the findings of why Tollerton's son was deemed to be no longer at risk in August.

The publication of the report was then delayed until September before being postponed again until early November.

Those wanting to find out its contents have now been told to submit a Freedom of Information request.

Councillor Phil Dilks, shadow member for children's services at the authority, said public confidence must be upheld by the council revealing the details of its investigation.

He said: "This was a serious case of abuse suffered by a young child known to Lincolnshire social care services.

"With a number of serious case reviews currently under way involving Lincolnshire social services, people may be surprised to learn that the abuse of a young toddler, which resulted in a jail sentence for his mother, is not considered serious enough to warrant another serious case review.

"Lincolnshire County Council is already under national scrutiny following last month's shocking case of the repeated rape of two daughters by their father.

"It's vital that the lessons are learned - and are seen to be learned - from every case so that the people of Lincolnshire can be sure that everything possible is being done to protect our children from abuse.

"A decision to keep the findings of another review secret will do nothing to boost public confidence.

"I appeal to the leader of the council to show political leadership by getting involved now to stop another public relations car crash by ensuring full disclosure at the first available opportunity."

Recorder William Harbage QC told Tollerton when she was convicted that her parenting was "totally inadequate".

He said: "This was the culmination of a period of wilful neglect."

Today's developments will put further pressure on the Tory leader of authority, councillor Martin Hill.

Last month a 56-year-old man was jailed for a minimum of 19-and-a-half years for raping his two daughters over more than a quarter of a century.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that the man, who fathered seven children with his daughters, toured Lincolnshire during the 1990s to avoid detection.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was handed 25 life sentences.

Hilary Barrett, assistant director of children's services at the council, said they may release their findings in the Kelly Tollerton case.

In a statement, she said: "Lincolnshire County Council children's services are not, at present, in a position to report on this case, as we are still reviewing our involvement.

"We will release further information if and when we are in a position to do so."