Woman is charged after body of child found in Heaton house (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Woman is charged after body of child found in Heaton house

7:00am Thursday 7th March 2013 in News By Rhys Thomas, T&A Reporter

A woman has been charged with manslaughter and preventing the burial of a corpse, 18 months after the body of a child was found at a house in Bradford.

The 42-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has also been charged with five counts of child neglect.

A 24-year-old man, who also cannot be named, has been charged with preventing the burial of a corpse.

Announcing the decision to bring charges yesterday, Malcolm Taylor, of the Crown Prosecution Service Yorkshire and Humberside’s complex casework unit, said: “Following a lengthy and complex investigation by West Yorkshire Police into the death of a four-and-a-half-year-old child, I have authorised West Yorkshire Police to charge a 42-year-old woman with manslaughter and preventing the burial of a corpse.

“I have also authorised that she be charged with five counts of child neglect. I have further authorised that a 24-year-old man be charged with preventing the burial of a corpse.”

The charges relate to the grim discovery of the badly-decomposed body of a six-year-old boy on the afternoon of September 21, 2011.

Police found his remains in a cot in an upstairs bedroom of a terraced property in Crofton Road, Heaton, Bradford.

It was thought the youngster could have been dead for up to two years when he was found.

At the time, forensic experts said they expected investigations to determine the cause of the boy's death to be a long and painstaking process.

Speaking at the time of the discovery, then Bradford Council leader Ian Greenwood described the incident as a “terrible tragedy” and “upsetting and shocking”.

Shocked neighbours also said they could not believe it had happened on their doorstep, with some describing it as “unbelievable” and “terribly sad”.

Both defendants are scheduled to appear before Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Bradford Council is also carrying out an independent investigation, known as a serious case review, into the boy's death. That is standard procedure in the event of child’s death.