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THE FLAWED COURTROOM SYSTEM THAT JAILED GRIEVING PARENTS
IN 1977 A BRITISH PAEDIATRICIAN GAVE A NAME TO A TERRIBLE THING
PARENTS WHO MAKE THEIR OWN CHILDREN SICK FOR ATTENTION
THE NAME WAS REAL AND SO WAS THE HARM IT DESCRIBED
THEN THE NAME BECAME A WEAPON
MOTHERS WHO HAD BURIED BABIES WERE SENT TO PRISON
ONE OF THEM WAS A SOLICITOR NAMED SALLY CLARK
THIS IS HOW ONE DIAGNOSIS DID DAMAGE FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS
THIS NEWSLETTER IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. NOTHING IN THIS CONTENT CONSTITUTES MEDICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. ALWAYS CONSULT A QUALIFIED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE MAKING ANY HEALTH RELATED DECISIONS.
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OKAY BACK TO THE COURTROOM ⚖️
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THE NAME THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE 1977 🩺
ROY MEADOW WAS A RESPECTED PAEDIATRICIAN WORKING IN LEEDS
IN 1977 HE PUBLISHED A PAPER IN THE LANCET
HE CALLED IT MUNCHAUSEN SYNDROME BY PROXY
THE HINTERLAND OF CHILD ABUSE
TWO MOTHERS HAD DONE SOMETHING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE
ONE POISONED HER TODDLER WITH MASSIVE DOSES OF SALT
THE OTHER PUT HER OWN BLOOD INTO HER BABYS URINE SAMPLE
WHAT HE DESCRIBED WAS A CAREGIVER FAKING OR CAUSING ILLNESS IN A CHILD
TO WIN SYMPATHY AND ATTENTION
IT WAS REAL AND IT WAS RARE
DEVASTATING WHEREVER IT APPEARED
OVER THE NEXT TWENTY YEARS
MEADOW BECAME THE MOST TRUSTED
CHILD ABUSE EXPERT IN THE COUNTRY
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MEADOW'S LAW AND THE 1 IN 73 MILLION ⚖️
MEADOW ALSO CARRIED A RULE OF THUMB THAT WOULD RUIN LIVES
ONE COT DEATH IS A TRAGEDY
TWO IS SUSPICIOUS
THREE IS MURDER UNLESS PROVEN OTHERWISE
PEOPLE CALLED IT MEADOWS LAW
IN 1999 A SOLICITOR NAMED SALLY CLARK STOOD TRIAL FOR MURDER
HER FIRST SON HAD DIED IN 1996 ELEVEN WEEKS AFTER BIRTH
A SECOND SON DIED IN 1998 IN ALMOST IDENTICAL CIRCUMSTANCES
ON THE STAND MEADOW TOLD THE JURY
THE ODDS OF TWO COT DEATHS IN ONE FAMILY
WERE 1 IN 73 MILLION
HE HAD REACHED THAT NUMBER
BY SQUARING A SINGLE ESTIMATE OF 1 IN 8500
THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE MATH WAS SIMPLY WRONG
YOU CANNOT SQUARE THOSE ODDS
UNLESS THE DEATHS ARE FULLY INDEPENDENT
THEY ARE NOT
THE ROYAL STATISTICAL SOCIETY
LATER PUBLISHED A FORMAL REBUKE OF THE FIGURE
NO ONE ON THE JURY EVER HEARD THAT WARNING
IN NOVEMBER 1999
SALLY CLARK WAS CONVICTED
OF MURDERING BOTH OF HER SONS
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THE RECKONING THAT CUT BOTH WAYS 🔁
SALLY CLARK SPENT MORE THAN THREE YEARS IN PRISON
IN JANUARY 2003 THE COURT OF APPEAL QUASHED HER CONVICTIONS
EVIDENCE THAT ONE BABY
HAD A LIFE THREATENING INFECTION
WAS HIDDEN FROM HER DEFENCE
SHE WALKED FREE AND NEVER TRULY RECOVERED
SALLY CLARK DIED IN 2007 AGED FORTY TWO
OTHER MOTHERS HAD BEEN CAUGHT IN THE SAME NET
ANGELA CANNINGS HAD HER MURDER CONVICTION QUASHED
IN DECEMBER 2003
TRUPTI PATEL WAS ACQUITTED IN JUNE 2003
BY A JURY IN UNDER NINETY MINUTES
IN 2005 THE GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL STRUCK MEADOW OFF THE REGISTER
A YEAR LATER THE COURTS REVERSED THAT RULING
HE WAS REINSTATED
HERE IS THE HARD PART TO HOLD
MUNCHAUSEN BY PROXY IS A REAL FORM OF ABUSE
CHILDREN HAVE DIED FROM IT
THE CRUSADE BUILT AROUND IT
ALSO JAILED INNOCENT GRIEVING MOTHERS
BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE AT THE SAME TIME
A DIAGNOSIS CAN PROTECT A CHILD
IT CAN ALSO DESTROY A PARENT
DEPENDING ON WHO IS HOLDING IT
