Heroin killed Wolverhampton boy Daniel Jones
The parents of a 23-month-old boy have this afternoon appeared in court charged with his manslaughter – after police revealed he had died of a heroin overdose.
Simon Jones and Emma Bradburn, of Wolverhampton, were arrested yesterday following an investigation into the death of Daniel Jones.
They were today remanded in custody at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court after facing charges of killing their son.
Paramedics were called to the couple's house in Windsor Avenue, Penn, at 6.15am on May 29. The child's death was initially treated as unexplained but forensic tests have since revealed he died as a result of a heroin overdose.
Police arrived at the semi-detached house on the quiet residential street yesterday and led the couple away in handcuffs. Social services, police and the Probation Service were today meeting to discuss the death. It is not known if the child was known to social workers.
Neighbours today spoke of their shock and said Daniel's death had been "devastating" as pictures from Jones' Facebook page emerged showing smiling Daniel in a car seat and the couple posing with a baby on a bed. Anthony Baker, aged 67, and daughter Natalie, 38, who live next door, said they saw police arrive at the address at about 8am yesterday.
Mr Baker said the couple had lived in Windsor Avenue for about two years and he remembered the day Daniel died. He said: "It was devastating.
He was an ordinary child. I used to have a laugh with him over the fence." Miss Baker added: "He was a normal happy child." Residents said they were surprised to hear of the arrests in such a quiet area.
Wolverhampton City Council spokesman Paul Brown said: "The serious case review sub-committee of the Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children's Board will be meeting this afternoon to consider the case.
Bradburn, aged 33, and Jones, 29, both of Windsor Avenue, will appear at Wolverhampton Crown Court on March 7.
