A 55-year-old woman named Joanne Sharkey has avoided a jail sentence after being found guilty of manslaughter for the death of her newborn baby 27 years ago, due to her severely impaired mental state from postnatal depression at the time.

In 1998, Sharkey, who was 28 at the time, gave birth to a secret child and subsequently killed the infant by suffocating them with tissue paper and wrapping their body in bin bags. The baby’s body was discovered wrapped in woodland near Cheshire, prompting a nationwide search for the mother, dubbed “Baby Callum.” However, no one came forward, and the case remained unsolved until 2023 when a cold case review found a DNA match linking Sharkey to the baby. She had been suffering from undiagnosed postnatal depression.

Sharkey’s two-year prison sentence was suspended for two years, as it was determined that her mental illness at the time of the crime “substantially impaired” her judgment and self-control. The prosecution had initially suggested a prison term of seven to 12 years, but her defense argued that a suspended sentence would be more appropriate given her mental health status and time spent on curfew and in custody.

Mr. Justice Jennifer Eady K.C. stated that the “very sad case called for compassion,” acknowledging that Sharkey’s actions were both “terrible and tragic.” The court accepted that Sharkey’s mental state had diminished her legal responsibility and that she was genuinely remorseful for her actions. The judgment also noted that Sharkey had suffered from depression, anxiety, and a personality disorder for two decades and had been seeking medical help in recent years.

The verdict highlighted the need for better support and understanding of parents suffering from mental health issues, particularly in the postpartum period.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/04/mother-who-killed-newborn-baby-callum-27-years-ago-spared-jail-joanne-sharkey