Support Gemma and Allen through the unimaginable

This is the story of Hero Harlow and how he will change the law to help your babies stay safe.

On March 1st 2022 my friend Gemma took her son to an Ofsted registered childminder. He was 1 day short of being 10 months old. A cheeky, happy, healthy baby boy who like all children his age brought joy to everyone with a beaming smile, excitable curiosity for the world and love for all he met.

He LOVED Peter Rabbit, Milkshake, chocolate and pink wafers. But most of all he loved his Mummy and Daddy and his brother and sisters.

Harlow had been going to Karen Foster, a childminder registered for 9 years with Ofsted, for 6 weeks as his Mummy had not long been back at work. Gemma was told that Karen AND her husband Joe were registered professionals and so she was reassured her baby was in safe hours.

That same day, Karen shook Harlow to death.

2.5 hours after dropping him off Gemma received a call saying Harlow was unwell at hospital. When she arrived, Karen told her she had smacked Harlow on the back with force as he was choking on some pasta.

This is the same story she gave 999 operators but NOT the same story she told paramedics who were told he had finished his lunch when he just lost consciousness. Grateful Karen had seemingly saved her son, Gemma embraced her. However Gemma also wondered how many children had been in Karen’s care and she was told 3. One baby, Harlow; and 2 older children which would have meant she was within Ofsted guidelines.

Soon after Karen was arrested with her husband on section 18 charges as it was determined Harlows injuries were none accidental.

Harlow died in Gemma and Allen’s arms on March 5th. The hospitals did everything they could but he could not be saved.

Ofsted called Gemma to ask her not to take her son to childcare as there had been an incident involving a child - HER CHILD!

The police investigation began. Denial after denial followed. It turned out that Joe was NOT Ofsted registered and shouldn’t have been there as he wasn’t even registered as living at the house. It turned out Karen had never been a nurse nor fostered children as she previously stated. And it was proven she had too many children in her care and was in breach of Ofsted rules. Karen was bailed and charges against Joe were dropped.

Several months later Karen was re arrested for murder when Harlows evidence returned. Gemma was unable to donate any of Harlows organs because ‘he is evidence’. And that evidence was loud and plentiful. He spoke with his body the way he never could with his voice. And he was heard.

I cannot bring myself to list his injuries.

Karen was held on remand and more evidence was gathered and a trial date set for June 5th 2024. We gathered in court to face the woman responsible for the death of Harlow at a preliminary hearing. She showed no remorse and looked bored.

Gemma and Allen were told to be silent while the case was built. The media reported Karen as an older woman known to the family as a trusted adult. They watched as people speculated it may have been Harlows own family that did this and said nothing on police advice.

More information was obtained. Complaints had been made to Ofsted about this woman. Ranging from negligence to violence against other children. 2 complaints were made 3 months before Harlow died. Over subscription concerns were raised. Nothing was done.

It turned out Karen was receiving high rate PIP for conditions she claimed made her drowsy, in pain, immobile and unable to cook or care for herself without help. She signed an annual review document one day before killing Harlow where she claimed to be terribly disabled. And yet no one questioned why she was able to work with the most vulnerable group of people - babies and toddlers.

Karen remained concrete in her denial. Jury was selected on 5th June but before they were sworn in, she took a plea deal of Manslaughter.

As the jury hadn’t yet been sworn in it was accepted as an early guilty plea and she was credited for that.

Karen stated that this day Harlow fell from his high chair, he cried, she got frustrated as she had hip pain and she shook him to death.

No one believes this story, the evidence doesn’t support this story, the narrative of other children in Karen’s care didn’t support this story, but the guilty plea was taken and she was, on the 13th June 2024, sentenced to 12 years 7 months and ordered to serve 2/3 before parole and time taken off for the remand period of 306 days. Harlow lived for 303 days.

What we want to know is how these complaints were followed up? How this woman was allowed to tell the DWP she was severely disabled and yet care for children. How she could apply to be a childminder without a medical at her age of 62. How she was able to mistreat children and make mistake after mistake with zero consequence? And why in 2024, you are still allowed to care for babies without a voice without cameras to oversee their safety and level of care?

Harlow is not the first baby to die at the hands of a professional in child care. Ofsted say they assess these people every 6 years but what is the assessment criteria. Why haven’t Ofsted commented or reached out to Gemma and Allen except to tell them a child had an incident and not to take him there? Complaints were made about Karen during covid, they were handled over the phone!! How can you assess anything over the phone?

We intend to hold Ofsted to account for the death of Harlow which we believe was preventable. We are speaking to national media this week where we will share details that will disgust any parent who has been forced back to work early and been made to rely on childcare.

We intend to change the law to make it impossible to care for children without cameras not just to protect children but also to protect childcare providers so if an accident does occur you can prove it was an accident. We believe any true professional would welcome this change.

In a world where your dogs have more CCTV safety at a doggy day care than your children - because they can’t speak - something is wrong.

BUT we aren’t stopping there. Fitness to practise in childcare must be considered. You need a medical to foster children and to work in hospitals. You should need one to care for children that aren’t yours.

It is believed Karen’s health played a part in her lack of patience and eventual ‘snapping’. So why allow a woman on high rate disability to look after multiple children??

Where was the background check, Ofsted?

Where were the complaint investigations, Ofsted?

Why and how was a man not approved to work with children able to be around them?

WHERE ARE YOU, OFSTED???

Any donations will help towards legal costs and also covering Gemma, Allen and the kids while they attempt to process this injustice. And then we intend to create ‘Hero Harlow’ where we will help bereaved parents financially cope after the loss of a child at the hands of another human.

Why should a child who has been killed have a basic funeral?

Why should parents who have lost a child to human act have to suffer financially while they attempt to gather themselves back up? Where is the government support?

54 children under 16 were killed by another human in 2022. You won’t even know half their names. Where is the support for these families?

Our babies and toddlers cannot verbally communicate their needs, fears and pain. We MUST make sure they are heard in other ways and not at postmortem!! But way before when we can hold those who do this to account! Please help us. For every parent who has to work to survive and leave their children in the care of others. And for every baby or toddler that sustained injury or death in the care of these people that cannot be explained.

It should never be a babies body against the word of an adult. People lie - cameras don’t!!