Another baby dies as health staff miss warnings

Joseph Kompus suffered massive head wounds at the hands of his mother Maria Kompusova and died in September 2007 at the family's home in Walthamstow.

The infant's fatal brain injuries were said to be so severe that they resembled those of a car crash victim. X-rays later showed he had also suffered fractures to his legs, skull, one arm and a rib.

Joseph's death came just over a month after the lifeless body of Baby P was found in his blood- spattered cot in the neighbouring borough of Haringey.

The case of Baby P, who was 17 months old when he died, sparked national outrage after it emerged that he had been seen 60 times by health and social workers and suffered 50 injuries - including a broken back - but could still not be saved.

Joseph had never been seen by social services but he did have contact with health workers during his short life, according to an official report into his death.

The serious case review, conducted in Waltham Forest, found that opportunities were missed which could have led to Joseph receiving protection.

The report said: "The pieces of the puzzle were not put together in an effort to establish the story of this child's life and the expectations of his care.

"There is a lack of systematic collection of information, analysis and recommendation. Expected standards were not met."

The report called for a series of actions from Waltham Forest doctors and hospital staff to improve child protection in the borough.

The family also had contact with health workers in Haringey - but it is unclear whether the baby's health was reviewed.

Kompusova, 22, will be sentenced at the Old Bailey today after she was convicted of manslaughter last month. She denied being responsible for the abuse and blamed her partner Joseph Skripka - who was never put on trial and was at work at the time of the death.

A Slovakian who has been living in Britain for four years, Kompusova called the emergency services at 1.38pm on 24 September 2007 from her home in Walthamstow.

Paramedics arrived to find the baby pale and motionless on the sofa. During the trial, the court was told that x-rays showed a fracture to Joseph's right arm had been caused up to four weeks earlier by a twisting or gripping force.

Prosecutors said Joseph's broken rib would have been caused by a "severe side to side squeezing of the rib cage".

Joseph had a fracture to his right thigh bone and his left lower leg dating back three weeks, and the fracture to his skull was caused by a direct impact in the 10 days leading up to his death, the court heard.

An expert said the fatal head injury was similar to those found in road traffic accidents or a fall from a first-floor window.