How can parents do this?

I can't bring myself to read it - it really makes me wonder about the human race.

It surprised me to see how apparently neat and tidy the house was. Somehow I expected squalor.

SS often seem to get it wrong! We hear too often of children being returned to abusive carers and what happens- the abuse is repeated ! In this case the child had not been taken into care and I am aware that social workers have to abide by rules- the rules must be changed.

I can’t read it either, the headline and picture are enough for me.
It makes me think of all the other children who could be going through the same type of cruelty.

I can’t bring myself to read this either. Calistemon - I remember reading about Daniel Pelka one morning, in a cafe. It was horrendous in print and tears of anger and sadness ran down my cheeks.
Such evil in the World.

I don't think the proposed Daniel's Law was ever passed after the death of Daniel Pelka.
These two did not think mandatory reporting of signs of abuse was necessary:

Nick Clegg, then Deputy PM and Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson said mandatory reporting was "not the answer" to providing better protection for children against physical and emotional abuse and neglect.

So what is?

Clegg has gone on to more lucrative opportunities, Timpson is still an MP.
I doubt it has registered on their radar.

Whole life sentences for each of them. They’ll have a dreadful time in prison. Child killers are the lowest of the low. Didn’t Ian Huntley lose an eye?

I've found this story so distressing. Poor little boy, how could they do that? Truly evil. I couldn't read the whole article. I'm sure he's in a better place now.

After reading it and yes it’s heartbreaking but if we don’t know about these things and get moved by these things how can we ever know they are still happening or ever have the courage to help a child the social worker who dismissed the concerns needs to also be taken to task
The parents should rot in jail

Where were the other four children while this was happening?
Were they younger, didn't realise?

sob

I can't even read it all. How come there was CCTV?

Poor poor lad

Some parents are I can't even write it

Yes I've read about some dreadful cases in the past which have stayed with me. I don't know why I read them.

Yes, I realise that; friends had children who were 'accident prone' and I've been with them when accidents have happened.
I'm accident prone myself.
However, there is a difference between a bruise, a broken wrist in a healthy, robust child who has good interaction with a parent and these abused children.

But, like Daniel Pelka, starved, beaten and died 9 years ago, this boy was at school. Daniel's teacher knew he was starving but was hoodwinked by the wicked mother.

I could list cases I remember which people will have forgotten but I can never forget.
It happens time and again and lessons are never learned.

Calistemon I think it is the way the system is now. All softly, softly approach. I can't remember which case it was because sadly, there are so many but some years ago a social worker calling at a house to check on the at-risk child who lived there was refused entry as the child was asleep and the social worker went away! Can't they insist of entry or get the police to accompany them? Sad to say this all came out when the child in question died at the hands of its parents. Nothing appears to change.

My heart goes out to the jurors.

It's awful. I'm not brave enough to read it though. What can be done?

I haven't read it; too much for me. Poor little mite.

I really don't know Calistemon and yet there are cases where parents are taken to task and wrongly accused when a child suffers a fall or something. I understand how difficult it is but I don't know what the answer is.

Katie1949. It was followed up by Social Services but the person that visited didn’t feel there was anything to worry about.
I missed that too, tickingbird

Not fit for the job.
Another gullible person like those who sit on parole boards.

That is shocking if the grandmother and uncle were told that by a police officer. Another person not fit to hold down a job like that.

Yes, I know the vile parents are to blame but why are others so easily hoodwinked and frightened to act?

Me too tickingbird

No need to apologise Katie. It’s just another harrowing case that beggars belief. As a grandmother myself it would crucify me to know this cruelty continued even though I was asking the authorities to do something.

tickingbird. Apologies. I read that his grandmother and uncle showed pictures of his bruises to a police officer and were warned not to visit Arthur as they would be arrested for breaking Covid rules. Obviously no one is to blame here except his wicked father and step mother. His biological mother is serving 18 years for stabbing a previous partner. Poor little mite.

Katie1949. It was followed up by Social Services but the person that visited didn’t feel there was anything to worry about.

Earlier in the trial a hairdresser and her partner gave evidence about the boy’s treatment on the occasions the step mother visited her home for hair appointments. Stories of him being too weak to hold a glass of water and being made to stand outside facing the wall. Asked why she didn’t report this she cried and said she now wishes she had. Makes my blood boil. Not only should it have been reported something should have been said to the absolute scum treating him this way.

It's heart breaking. Those two should get a whole life sentence each.

This child is described as 'a schoolboy' - old enough to go to school or was he kept home and 'home-educated'?
Why did no teacher see what was happening to him and call a meeting with Social Services? Surely someone realised this child was at risk?

Lessons never seem to be learned.

I believe they were making excuses not to send him to school. Relatives contacted Social Services and it wasn't followed up. I have been following this case as it's here in the Midlands. I wish I hadn't read it or seen the video. If you don't want your child, let someone else look after him. I couldn't sleep last night after watching the video.