An immediate investigation will examine how a 14-month-old toddler under the supervision of social workers was administered a lethal combination of medications by his mother before authorities could intervene. Emma Barnett, aged 36, fatally poisoned her son, Oakley, in November 2024, following a court decision to remove him from her care. Barnett, residing in Loughton, Essex, was convicted of murder at Cambridge Crown Court recently and is awaiting sentencing.
Essex County Council announced that an ongoing evaluation by the Essex Safeguarding Children Board will be released in the near future. Prior to the court’s decision on November 8, 2024, to remove Oakley, social services had already removed Barnett’s five other children. Despite being absent from the Chelmsford hearing, Barnett observed part of it online and committed the crime shortly thereafter.
In her murder trial, it was revealed that Oakley had been placed under a child protection order shortly after his birth in 2023 due to concerns of neglect. Barnett confessed to a social worker in May 2024 that she struggled to form a bond with and care for Oakley.
A spokesperson for Essex County Council expressed condolences to Oakley’s family and mentioned the ongoing child safeguarding review by the Essex Safeguarding Children Board. Barnett and Oakley were discovered hiding in the attic of their home on November 8, 2024. Following the court ruling, Barnett obtained medication from a pharmacy, and upon learning of Oakley’s removal, she disappeared, leading to a police search.
Police located Barnett and Oakley in the attic where Barnett initially claimed Oakley was asleep but later confessed to his murder. Both were hospitalized, but Oakley succumbed to the effects of the medication in December 2024. Barnett was arrested in January 2025 on suspicion of murder but remained silent during questioning. Subsequently, a jury found her guilty after an 18-day trial.
Detective Inspector James Holmes of Essex Police described the investigation as distressing and extended sympathies to Oakley and his loved ones. Essex Police self-referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct regarding the missing persons search for Oakley and Barnett. The IOPC identified areas for improvement, prompting Essex Police to enhance search procedures in various locations, including lofts and outbuildings.
