Parents of mother, 38, who drowned her 23-month-old twins say there were ‘missed opportunities’ to help their daughter who was suffering from ‘serious mental illness’ as coroner rules deaths as unlawful killing
- Samantha Ford killed twin children Jake and Chloe in Kent on Boxing Day, 2018
- The 39-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in a psychiatric unit in August 2019
- She denied murder but admitted manslaughter by diminished capacity at court
- Coroner ruled children’s deaths were unlawful killings after week-long inquest
- Now, Samantha’s parents have said they remain concerned there were missed opportunities to save their grandchildren as mother Samantha had sought help
The parents of a mother who drowned her toddler twins have said there were ‘missed opportunities’ to help their daughter as a coroner ruled the deaths as unlawful killings.
Samantha Ford killed her 23-month-old children Jake and Chloe on Boxing Day 2018 at her home in Margate, Kent, after her split from their father Steven Ford a few months beforehand.
Mr Justice Edis sentenced Ford to 10 years at the Old Bailey in August 2019, to be served in a psychiatric unit.
She had denied murder but admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
Following a week-long inquest which heard that Ford suffered an acute stress reaction to the ending of her marriage, coroner Christopher Sutton-Mattocks reached a conclusion of unlawful killing.
Twins Jake and Chloe Ford (pictured) were drowned by their mother Samantha Ford, 39, on Boxing Day 2018 as she was suffering from mental illness following the ending of her marriage
After a week-long inquest in Kent, a coroner ruled the deaths of Jake (left) and Chloe (right) were unlawful killings as their grandparents say they are concerned opportunities were missed to help their mother Samantha who saw 14 different professionals when seeking help
Describing the death of the children, Mr Sutton-Mattocks said: ‘Samantha undressed both of the children, put them in the bath and held them under the water.
‘She then removed them from the bath, dressed them in nappies and baby grows and placed them in bed.’
Dr Robert Immelman, of the Charing Practice, described how he had a consultation with Ford on December 21 in which she requested an extension of her anti-depressant medication as she was having trouble sleeping.
He said a letter from a mental health service which stated she had been having suicidal thoughts had not been put on her medical file ahead of the consultation, despite having been sent a week earlier.
The inquest previously heard that their father Steven said neither he or anyone else in Samantha’s family had any serious concerns about her mental health to the extent that they would suspect her harming the children or herself.
Tony and Colette Emptage, parents of Ford, said in a statement that their daughter had been suffering from ‘serious mental illness’.
An inquest heard a crucial letter regarding the mental health of Samantha and stating she’d had suicidal thoughts failed to be added to her doctors notes just days before their deaths
They said: ‘The deaths of our grandchildren Chloe and Jake was the worst pain that any family could ever endure. We will never recover from the loss of their precious lives.
‘They were beloved and much-wanted children, and evidence given to the coroner has shown that Samantha was a loving and devoted mother to them.
‘She adored her children and looked after them as well as any mother could, even while she was struggling severely.’
They continued: ‘It has been made clear that Samantha repeatedly sought but did not receive the urgent medical help and treatment for her illness that she needed.
‘We remain concerned that there were missed opportunities for Chloe and Jake.
‘Although Samantha repeatedly sought help (speaking to 14 different professionals throughout November and December) she was only seen face to face on two occasions and the only solution appeared to be to prescribe her more and more medication.
Jake (pictured) and Chloe Ford were just 23 months when they were killed by their mother
‘We can only hope that the support networks that are in place to help people suffering the mental distress endured by Samantha will be strengthened to ensure that this can never happen to another family.’
Anna Moore, of Leigh Day solicitors, who represents the family, said: ‘In the weeks leading up to the deaths of her children, Samantha Ford was suffering a depressive mental illness and reached out to various agencies on a number of occasions seeking help and treatment.
‘The family considers that those attempts represented missed opportunities and that those missed opportunities contributed to the children’s deaths.’
Ford is currently detained in a psychiatric hospital until medical experts deem her fit to be moved to prison.