Doctors 'failed to recognise severity of mum's illness' before she killed her baby in Leeds park
Medical professionals failed to recognise the severity of a mum’s psychosis after she was allowed to leave a hospital unit and kill her baby in a park, a court has been told.
Hayley Macfarlane was suffering from severe post-natal depression after the birth of her baby, Evelyn, and had previously been detained. However, after making progress, and after the 28-day sectioning time limit had expired, she left the unit in Leeds for a walk with her baby, then smothered her.
She was found with the lifeless body of her child early evening on December 20 in Woodhouse Moor Park. She had phoned the police herself and confessed what she had done.
Macfarlane, 39, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court this morning after she admitted a charge of infanticide - the unlawful killing of a child under 12 months by its mother while her mind was “disturbed”.
The court heard that she had fallen into a deep depression after the birth of her daughter in July last year, convincing herself she was inadequate and had failed the youngster.
Her barrister, Louise Blackwell KC told the court that by October of last year there had been a “considerable change” to her demeanour. She said that the professionals “failed to recognise the level of psychosis” she was suffering prior to killing her own child.
She added: “Any element of stress has a considerable effect of slipping back into psychosis.” She pointed to Christmas approaching, and the fact Macfarlane had only started taking the antipsychotic medication.
She said that Macfarlane, of Carrington Street, Barnsley, had “longed for“ her daughter who was “very loved”. Mrs Blackwell also said a letter in support of Macfarlane showed what a caring woman she is and has a “level of perfectionism in everything she does”.
The court was told that despite her baby born healthy in July last year, Macfarlane became “preoccupied” with her health and that she was somehow impeding the youngster’s development.
She referred to a GP but was worried about taking antidepressants and how they may affect Evelyn.
She was eventually detained at the specialist mother and baby unit at The Mount in Leeds, where she was prescribed antipsychotic medication, but again had reservations.
However, after taking a low dose she began to improve and appeared “more relaxed”, the court heard. But having been detained for 28 days - the maximum number permitted under the Mental Health Act - and having improved, she was discharged but voluntarily stayed at the unit.
On December 20, a Christmas party was held at the unit, attended by Macfarlane and Evelyn, and she was described as being in a “bright mood”. She then left the building with Evelyn in her pram shortly before 4pm, saying she was going for a walk. She was permitted to go out unaccompanied due to the progress it was thought she had made.
She spoke to her husband and was “excited about being home for Christmas”, Mr Hassall said. It was a short time later she rang her husband and told her that Evelyn was “gone”, having smothered her.
Presiding over the sentencing hearing this morning, High Court judge, the Honourable Justice Lambert DBE said she would need time to consider the sentence, and the case will resume next Wednesday, July 3.