“F4TAL FLAWS” — EIGHT CHANCES TO SAVE BABY IGNORED IN HORROR CASE.
FATAL FLAWS
Eight missed opportunities to save tragic baby boy sexually abused and murdered by evil adopted dad
A STRING of missed chances to save a baby boy from a tragic and sickening murder by his evil adopted dad have been revealed.
Preston Davey was just 13 months old when he died following a twisted four-month campaign of physical, psychological, and sexual torment.
Tot Preston Davey was murdered by his adopted dadCredit: PA
Sarah Davey has been revealed as Preston Varley’s mum
His mum, who has been recalled to prison seven times, fell pregnant with little Preston in 2021 before being sent back to jail.
Preston was then sent into foster care before he was adopted by teacher Jamie Varley, 37, and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32.
But just four months after he was adopted, the 13-month-old died after he was smothered to death by Jamie Varley.
The vile adopted father vomited in the dock yesterday as the guilty verdicts were heard in court after a seven week trial.
Jamie Varley has been convicted of Preston’s murderCredit: LancsLive/MEN
Preston was also sexually assaultedCredit: PA
Now a damning timeline shows the eight missed chances to save baby Preston that were under the noses of social workers.
The first squandered opportunity came on May 11, 2023, when John McGowan-Fazakerley dialled 999 but the operator received no response.
Jamie Varley was heard in the background telling him to put the phone down, and a later NHS call went unanswered.
Just two weeks later on May 25, the second chance was missed during Preston’s first hospital visit.
Varley rushed the unresponsive infant to Blackpool Victoria Hospital with a nosebleed and a suspected seizure.
Nurses spotted two bruises on Preston’s forehead but accepted the couple’s explanation that he bumped his head while learning to crawl.
The third warning sign wasn’t acted on in June 30, when the couple took Preston to A&E with a rash.
A nurse pointed out a bruise on his head, but Varley showed her a video of the baby pulling a toy box onto himself.
Tragic Preston died four months after he was adoptedCredit: Refer to source
Sarah Davey fell pregnant in 2021
Days later on July 4, a fourth opportunity passed when Preston’s social worker Amy Shepherdson visited the home.
She found the tot looking pale and not himself, but she simply put his low mood down to a recent illness.
A fifth chance happened on July 6, when Varley took Preston to hospital for a third time.
The boy was not moving his left arm properly and doctors diagnosed a fractured elbow.
They accepted Varley’s claim that he twisted the arm accidentally while laying the baby down in his cot.
The next day on July 7, a sixth opportunity was missed during a visit by social worker Helen Magee.
She later wrote a report directly to Preston, admitting she wondered whether there was a problem but decided there wasn’t.
Between July 7 and July 13, a seventh chance was missed when Varley confessed his dark thoughts to a school colleague.
Jamie Varley vomited in the dock as the verdicts came back
John McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of sexually abusing the youngster
He claimed he wanted to drown or suffocate Preston, but lied that his social worker already knew so the colleague didn’t report it.
The final and eighth overlooked chance happened on July 13 when the headteacher from Varley’s school visited him at home.
This followed claims that he was feeling suicidal, but she left the property with no concerns.
Preston was first removed from his birth mother, Sarah Davey, at just five days old in 2022.
She was jailed for life as a 14-year-old schoolgirl for the horrific 1998 torture and murder of pensioner Lily Lilley.
The mother had fallen pregnant with Preston before being recalled to prison for a licence breach.
The curly-haired baby was originally happy and smiley, but his life changed when he was placed with Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley.
Within weeks, the abuse began. Preston Crown Court heard Varley treated the child as his personal “plaything”.
Varley could be seen wailing ‘it’s my fault’ after taking Preston to hospital
Footage showed the two dads as a paramedic carried ‘floppy’ Preston
Experts told the jury Preston developed a blank stare known as frozen watchfulness, which is a stress response to trauma.
Varley posted hundreds of pictures on social media to show a perfect family, but police later found sinister images on his phone.
On July 27, 2023, the abuse turned fatal – Preston was rushed to hospital entirely unresponsive.
The court heard Varley put on a theatrical display of grief for medics, claiming the boy slipped under water in the bath.
But detectives found the tub was empty and the baby’s hair was bone dry.
A post-mortem examination revealed Preston suffered more than 40 injuries, including 30 visible bruises, a fractured arm, and signs of severe sexual abuse.
On Monday, a jury found Varley guilty of murder and sexual assault.
McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of allowing the death of a child, sexual assault, and cruelty.
Both will be sentenced on Thursday.
Senior social work sources now question if officials were manipulated by the middle-class couple or scared of challenging them due to political correctness.
Preston’s grandmother, Debbie Davey, 66, wept outside court and demanded to know why no social workers had been sacked.
She told The Daily Telegraph, she wanted to care for Preston but was unable to do so because she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
She said: “Sarah wanted to keep Preston but she was told he was going to a foster home.
“Preston was with Sarah for a week while they were both in hospital but then Preston was given a foster home.”
Debbie, who is now cancer free, said: “Sarah spoke to the social worker telling her that she didn’t want Preston adopted.
“She begged the foster mother to keep Preston but was told she could not because she was only a foster mother.
“We wanted social services to allow Preston to stay with foster parents until I was better but they wouldn’t allow it.
“If they’d agreed, he would be here with me today.”
Oldham Council was responsible for Preston because his adoption was not finalised.
They confirmed no social workers have been disciplined, though an independent child safeguarding review is under way.
A post-mortem examination identified more than 40 injuries on Preston’s body, as well as internal injuries indicating sexual abuse.
His cause of death was established as acute upper airway obstruction, suggesting something had been inserted into his mouth blocking his airway.
CRE: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39426934/eight-missed-chances-save-baby-boy-murdered-evil-dad/
