The mother of a toddler found dead at home within weeks of a judge refusing to put her into foster care has been accused by a coroner of fabricating evidence and being an unreliable witness at her daughter’s inquest.
Autumn Gooch, aged 19 months, was found dead in her cot in Maulden, Bedfordshire on 11 April 2015, less than a month after social workers applied for but were refused an interim care order.
The Bedfordshire and Luton assistant coroner, Martin Oldham, heard Autumn was found face down in a state of rigor mortis, wearing a heavily soiled nappy and in the clothes she had worn the day before. There was vomit on her duvet and cheese and biscuits and a bottle containing congealed milk nearby.
Her mother, Nikki Gooch, 29, was originally arrested for child neglect, and the CPS sought advice on a possible homicide charge, the inquest heard. No homicide charge was brought, and a charge of neglect later dropped. The cause of Autumn’s death was “unascertainable”, the inquest heard.
As the coroner recorded an open verdict, Gooch’s brother, Darren, 31, criticised his sister and said that the judge’s refusal to place Autumn in care was “an opportunity that was missed”.
There were no significant marks on Autumn’s body or signs of injury. Her brain showed signs of possible epilepsy but there was no history of the condition, the hearing was told.
Oldham said that “despite the chaotic care from her mother in the last days of her life”, he was unable to say anything more about that and an open verdict was appropriate.
He had been ably assisted by all witnesses, he said, apart from Gooch, whom he described as “fabricating and being unreliable”.
Gooch had told the inquest that on the morning of Autumn’s death she had made her daughter breakfast, played with her and put her back to bed because she was “ratty and tired”. She checked on her twice before finding her lifeless at around 2pm, she said.
Gooch’s brother, given permission to question her in the witness box, repeatedly accused his sister of lying over her account of the day and even claimed she could have smothered her daughter. She denied lying or harming Autumn.
After the hearing, her brother said he had called social workers to report concerns four days before Autumn’s death, and had asked for the child’s removal.
The inquest heard social workers had concerns about Gooch’s parenting abilities and those of Autumn’s father, Craig Macdonald, who had moved out of the house by the time of her death. There were issues concerning alcohol, general neglect and the parents’ ability to care for her. A child protection plan had been put in place.
Fearing Autumn was at risk of “significant harm”, the local authority sought an interim care order on 20 March 2015, but a Luton family court judge instead imposed daily visits from social workers and members of the extended family. The situation deteriorated after Macdonald moved out, and social workers were planning to return to court on 13 April 2015 to seek a care order again. Autumn died two days before the hearing.
Helen McCarey, a senior family support worker, described a chaotic household where Gooch “always had an excuse for not doing things” and displayed no affection for Autumn. Asked by the coroner if it was “almost unnatural behaviour” between a mother and child, McCarey said it was.
In the days before Autumn’s death Gooch had spoken about putting her up for adoption, she said.
DS David Sharpe, one of the senior police investigators, told the inquest Gooch’s account of events during the last day of Autumn’s life continued to change and the events of the morning were “still very unclear”.
Central Bedfordshire council’s director of children’s services, Sue Harrison, said “everyone who knew and worked with this family has been devastated by the death of Autumn.”.
“Central Bedfordshire and other agencies were involved in Autumn’s life since before her birth. Together with Autumn’s extended family, we were providing an intense package of support whilst she was living with her parents,” she said.
“Ultimately, however, it was clear that this arrangement wasn’t sustainable, which is why we were actively pursuing a care order at the time of her death.”
An independent expert conducting a serious case review into the case had concluded her death “was neither predictable nor preventable”. “However, neither I nor any of the member of staff who I have spoken to about the case would underestimate how distressing Autumn’s death has been,” they said.
Alan Caton, the chair of the Central Bedfordshire’s local safeguarding children board, said an independent review had been commissioned into the case.
“While the exact circumstances of Autumn’s death are not fully understood, it is clear that the loss of her young life was a tragedy,” he said. “While her death may not have been predictable or preventable, this does nothing to diminish the tragic nature of the case and we continue to extend our sincere condolences to those who cared for her”. The agencies had made every effort to keep her safe, he said.
