Preston Davey Review Must Incorporate Second Child's Death at Same Hospital
A critical review into the death of three-month-old Preston Davey, who died from severe head injuries in 2020, ought to encompass the case of another infant, Damion Russell. Damion, aged seven months, died just three weeks after Preston, also from head injuries, having been examined at the same hospital without child abuse being identified.
Preston Davey's mother's partner, James Clark, received a life sentence for murder in 2022. Similarly, Damion Russell's mother's partner, Ricky Walker, was jailed for nine years for manslaughter in 2023.
Lancashire Safeguarding Children Partnership is currently conducting a Child Safeguarding Practice Review concerning Preston's death. However, campaigners and legal representatives argue that the review's scope must be broadened to include Damion's case, given the parallel circumstances and shared institutional failing.
The common denominator of the hospital's repeated failure to identify signs of abuse in two infants who subsequently died from severe head trauma underscores a deeply troubling systemic issue. A comprehensive review incorporating both tragedies is imperative to understand the full extent of the institutional lapses and prevent future occurrences.
