Serious Case Review: In respect of the death of Keanu Williams

This Serious Case Review concerns Keanu Williams, his two older, school age half Siblings and their young mother Rebecca Shuttleworth from Birmingham. Keanu, who was just over two years old at the time of his death, was born in Torbay, where Rebecca Shuttleworth had moved in 2007 to stay with members of her extended family. They returned to live in Birmingham in July 2009.
Eight months before Keanu’s death the nursery described a ‘happy, social little child who plays nicely in the room and enjoys nursery rhymes, joining in with actions and vocalisations. Keanu has a good understanding of routine instructions in the room and participates well in all free play/structured activities. Keanu is meeting all his developmental milestones and thriving well at nursery’.
At the time of Keanu’s death Rebecca Shuttleworth was still deemed to be a Care Leaver having spent her childhood and teens in receipt of services from Children’s Social Care, Health and Education. She experienced periods of time placed in foster care subject to Care Orders, on more than one occasion, and s20 ( of the Children Act 1989) periods of accommodation .
On two separate occasions in 2005 and 2006 child protection concerns were reported about the Siblings and enquiries took place which led to the children becoming subject of Child Protection Plans. The referrals included injuries and a burn from a radiator at a very young age. The Siblings were placed with Maternal Grandfather, in 2006 with the support of Children’s Social Care and, subsequently, became subjects of Residence Orders to MGF in 2007.
The events leading to the Serious Case Review took place in January 2011. An ambulance was called because Keanu was said to be having breathing difficulties. On arrival at the home address CPR was commenced by the paramedics attending. Keanu was taken to hospital at 20.05pm and was pronounced dead at 20.35pm. Further examination revealed that Keanu had multiple injuries to different parts of the body. The ambulance personnel notified the Police. The cause of death was determined as multiple injuries. The injuries were determined to be the result of separate incidents with several major injuries being sustained over a period of days.