Jeremiah Regis murder: Serious case review urges agencies to do more on domestic violence
Checks were not done on the identity of a violent man who brutally murdered a child after he moved in with his vulnerable mother, a serious case review has found.
Jeremiah Regis suffered a skull fracture, brain injuries and broken ribs at the hands of Chevaze McGregor at the family home in Wednesfield in November in 2016.
A serious case review into the two-year-old’s death concluded the ‘severe level of violence’ by McGregor on Jeremiah could not have been predicted.
But it revealed how McGregor’s ‘controlling’ behaviour toward Jeremiah’s mother Sindyann Regis, following the boy’s birth in 2014, had been raised.
More background from the Express & Star on the shocking case
This information was shared with midwives and a social worker from Croydon London Borough Council, where Jeremiah was born, but was not recorded in the mother’s health records.
And two years later, when McGregor resumed a relationship with Regis and moved in the family flat in Wednesfield High Street, no questions were asked about the identity of the new partner by Croydon Council, which was made aware of her change in circumstance.
Two anonymous letters received by The Home Office, stating Regis had a new partner, at the time were also filed incorrectly.
McGregor, who believed in physical chastisement in bringing up boys, murdered Jeremiah at the family home.
The child was taken to hospital on November 21 after the alarm was raised by his mother.
But he died the following day.
Footage released by police after the case showed how McGregor flew into a violent rage at a relative, months before he went on to murder the boy.
WATCH: Jeremiah's killer flies into a violent rage months before murder
What did the case review reveal?
The case review, published today, said: “When mother’s partner resumed his relationship with mother again a few months before Child G’s murder, the connection with his previous behaviour towards her was not made.
“The No Recourse to Public Funds Team (NRTPFT) [Croydon council] were intending to follow up this new relationship after mother stated an intention to discontinue financial support, but did not ask his name
“The midwives had detailed the concerns in the discharge summary but neither this nor his name was available on the mother’s health record.
“Nonetheless, whilst it is now evident that mother’s partner is a very violent man, there is no suggestion that the severe level of violence against Child G could have been predicted from his history.”
Jeremiah was the second child of Regis, who had moved to London from the Caribbean in 2003.
The first child, aged seven, was placed into care following the death of Jeremiah.
Regis was an ‘undocumented migrant’ meaning she had no entitlement to welfare benefit, education or gaining employment.
She met McGregor at a Pentecostal church when she was about seven months pregnant and underwent an ‘exorcism ritual’ by a London pastor when four months pregnant.
After giving birth she moved to Wolverhampton in 2014, receiving a weekly grant of around £65 from Croydon council as well as rent.
McGregor resumed his relationship with her and moved in with her in Wolverhampton in September 2016.
What actions will be considered following the review?
The serious case review called on authorities to improve services to protect victims of domestic abuse, and gain a better understanding of the needs of undocumented migrants, ensuring they do not become isolated.
Linda Saunders, independent chairman of Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children Board, said: “This is not a case where there have been a series of missed opportunities.
“There were 16 areas of good practice which were highlighted in the report.
“There are a number of areas of learning to further improve frontline practice across all agencies and there is no suggestion, however, that they would have made a material difference if those things are actually in place in terms of preventing the violent death of Jeremiah.”
Di Smith, chairman of Croydon Safeguarding Children Board, said: “We are deeply sorrowed by the tragic events that led to the death of this young child.
“This independent review has given us the opportunity to reflect on the services we deliver to families and children.
“We accept the findings of the review and support the statement from Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children’s Board, and we will implement the recommendations relating to our local safeguarding children board.”
At Birmingham Crown Court last year, McGregor, 27, of High Street, Wednesfield, was jailed for 21 years after admitting murder.
Regis, 25, of the same address, is serving a two-year four-month, prison sentence after pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of a child.
