Mum admits killing baby found in woodland

A mum has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her child, who was found in a woodland close to a theme park more than a quarter of a century ago.

Joanne Sharkey, 55, of Liverpool, denied murdering her baby boy, whose remains were discovered with wads of tissue in his throat close to the Gulliver's World theme park in Warrington, Cheshire, on 14 March 1998.

As well as pleading guilty to manslaughter through diminished responsibility at Liverpool Crown Court, she also entered a guilty plea to endeavouring to conceal the birth of a child.

Sharkey is due to be sentenced on 21 March.

The infant who was believed to be born at full term was found discarded in two black bin bags by a local dog walker, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

At the time, the identity of the boy's parents was not known but they were identified after an investigation by the police that spanned over two decades.

Both the mother and father of the baby were arrested on 28 July 2023 on suspicion of murder, the CPS said.

After a thorough investigation by Cheshire Police, the father was released without facing any charges.

The force said he was unaware of the pregnancy, the birth, or his subsequent death.

Sharkey was charged on 15 April 2024 with murder and endeavouring to conceal the birth of a child.

Police said it was determined she had concealed her pregnancy, given birth at her home and caused the death of the baby in the following hours. The baby was found to have wads of tissue in his mouth and throat, the force added.

Sharkey, of Denham Close in West Derby, was due to face trial accused of murdering her baby between 8 and 12 March 1998, but her guilty plea to manslaughter by diminished responsibility was accepted by the prosecution.

Prosecution barrister Jonas Hankin KC said all the elements of a diminished responsibility plea were supported by psychiatrists, the police, the CPS and counsel on both sides.

Judge Mrs Justice Eady said: "I have read and reviewed the medical evidence in light of the test required for a defence of diminished responsibility and what is clear is that, given the unequivocal acceptance of the medical evidence, there could be no identifiable reason for a jury to reject that evidence so I approve the course you have outlined."

Detectives named the infant Callum after the Callands district of Warrington where his remains were found, because his true identity could not be confirmed at the time.

Det Insp Hannah Friend said the case shocked the local community.

She said: "Despite his life being cruelly cut short, he has not been forgotten, and his memory has lived on in the local area for the past few decades.

"Likewise, our efforts to locate who did this to him have not wavered and the case was subject to regular reviews and refreshed searches of the police DNA database."

She added it was thanks to a familial DNA sample that Sharkey was identified, arrested and later charged in relation to baby Callum's death.

Adam Till of the CPS said it had been a "complex case about a baby whose life was unfairly cut short".

"He would have been an adult today and it's devastating to think of the life he could have had," he said.

He added while the outcome of the case will never bring him back, "we hope it brings a small measure of comfort to everyone who has been affected by this awful case".

A few months after the baby was found, local people arranged a burial and a funeral service was held.

He was buried in a small white coffin.

The headstone, which was paid for with money raised by local residents, was inscribed: "Baby Callum, precious child of God. Laid to rest July 27, 1998. With love, from the people of Warrington."

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