Mother and son in court over decomposed body of boy found in house (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Mother and son in court over decomposed body of boy found in house

7:00am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Hannah Postles, T&A Reporter

A mum has appeared in court charged with manslaughter and preventing the burial of a corpse, 18 months after the decomposed body of her son was found at a house in Bradford.

Amanda Hutton, 42, appeared at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court yesterday, along with her son Tariq Khan, 24, who is also accused of preventing the burial of four-and-a-half year old Hamza Khan.

The pair were arrested after the youngster’s body was found in a cot in the upstairs bedroom of a mid-terraced property on Crofton Road, Heaton, on the afternoon of September 21, 2011 It is thought the youngster could have been dead for up to two years when he was found.

Hutton is accused of unlawfully killing Hamza between December 1 and December 16, 2009, and preventing the lawful and decent burial of a dead body, along with Khan, between December 14, 2009 and September 22, 2011.

She also faces five lesser charges.

Hutton, wearing a black cardigan and black sparkly scarf, and Khan, dressed in a blue jacket, spoke only to confirm their names and addresses during the short hearing.

Hutton, of Farcliffe Road, Girlington, and Khan, of Bradford Road, Frizinghall, were both remanded on conditional bail and will next appear at Bradford Crown Court on March 19.

Chairman of the bench Martin Nolan told them: “You are committed to Crown Court in Bradford for all of these offences.”

It was the pair’s first appearance in court after being charged last week.

Announcing the decision to bring charges, 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 further authorised that a 24-year-old man be charged with preventing the burial of a corpse.”

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 a child’s death.