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Toddler 'drowned in pool as her foster parents partied'
Last updated at 09:52am on 31.07.07
Little Anna was in foster care at the time of her death
Anna Hider, 17 months, was discovered unconscious in the water by the couple at their home in Hampshire on Sunday evening.
She was taken to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in nearby Portsmouth, but was pronounced dead an hour later.
Last night, Anna's devastated parents blamed the decision to take their daughter into care for her death.
It is believed the foster family were entertaining guests at a party at the house when the tragedy unfolded.
The case again throws the spotlight on to the care system and the apparent ease with which children can be taken from their birth parents.
It is less than a week since a Daily Mail special report outlined how dozens of children are allegedly being taken from their parents to be placed for adoption, often on the back of the flimsiest of allegations and, at times, mere hearsay.
Anna, her seven-year-old sister, and her 13-year-old brother were taken into care last year. The girls had been placed with separate foster families while the boy has been living in a care home.
Last night, their mother, Emma Hider, told the Mail how she had been fighting for Anna's return when she died.
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Tragic: The toddler who drowned in a swimming pool was brought here to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth
Mrs Hider, 31, from Paulsgrove in Portsmouth, said: "I got a phone call last night saying that Anna was in hospital.
'The next thing I knew, she was dead. They told me over the phone as I was on my way into the hospital.
"I'm angry and I want the truth. I want to know how my beloved daughter ended up face down in someone's swimming pool. I just cannot understand how she is dead."
Anna had been made the subject of an interim care order, which precedes a full care order and gives local authorities the power to share or take full parental responsibility for a child or children.
Mrs Hider, who is unemployed, said she was allowed to see Anna every weekday and spoke to her on the phone at weekends. She added that she never missed a visit.
She described how Anna "loved animals" and was "always laughing and interested in the world around her".
Mrs Hider went on: "I want everyone to know what social services are like. If Anna was still in my care she would be alive now."
She said social services had not allowed her to break the news to her other two children, who have different fathers.
Anna's father, Clyde Massiah, 45, had split up with Mrs Hider and lives in Oswestry in Shropshire.
Mr Massiah, also unemployed, said he believed the foster family were entertaining guests at a party when Anna woke up and walked downstairs to the swimming room.
He added: "They [the foster parents] have got plenty of money - and caring is supposed to be their job."
The couple refused to discuss the circumstances surrounding their children being taken into care.
But a neighbour told the Mail the children were taken away last summer, after concerns were raised at the school of one of the older children.
A spokesman for Portsmouth City Council, which is responsible for adoption in the city, refused to comment on Anna's care history, or what led her to be taken from her mother.
But councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, the leader of the council, offered "sincere condolences" to Anna's family.
He added: "In Portsmouth, we make every effort to keep children with their natural parents-Care proceedings are taken only when there's strong evidence that these are in the child's best interests."
The Mail has repeatedly highlighted the secrecy surrounding care and adoption proceedings. Parents have had their children taken away after being judged not "clever" enough to raise them, or even because of financial hardship.
This month the Mail also revealed how some councils are being offered bonuses worth as much as £2million over three years if they meet targets to raise the number of adoptions by 50 per cent.
Since the article around 100 readers have contacted us saying their children had been taken without good reason.
Labour's adoption targets were intended to lift more older children out of care.
But critics say councils, encouraged by the promise of extra cash, have merely earmarked those children who were easiest to place in adoptive homes - babies and toddlers - while the older children remained in care. In the year to March 2006, there were 3,700 adoptions from care in England.
Across the UK, there are around 5,000 children waiting for adoption, and 80,000 in the care of local authorities - two thirds of whom will be placed with foster parents.
A spokesman for Hampshire Police said initial investigations into Anna's death suggested a "tragic accident".
A post-mortem will be conducted and an inquest has been opened and adjourned.
Reader views (11)
It is sad and tragic and 40 children die in home drowning every year. It is the third most likley way a child under 5 will die. unfortunatley with the rising statistics of kids in care due to poor parenting there will inevitably be more accidents with foster parents because of the rising percentages in children in care.
It is a huge and unconsolable loss to both the natural and foster parents.
- Rebecca Lewis, Brighton, Sussex
But then we have so many children who aren't placed into care and end up dead due to failing within social services. Who are we to say what sort of background this child comes from? Social services are trained to make those sort of judgements and 99.9% of the time they are correct.
- Trevor Roll, London
Lynn, correct! My wife is doing a Nursery Nurse course which I help her with, and this would be only "common sense" not to have the pool with water in it, when in charge of a toddler! Or if so why was the toddler not supervised?
Why did the social services not pick this one up?
- Charles Linskaill, Edinburgh UK
I was once reported by a neighbour for threading a washing line through the handle of a dog's leash and clipping the other end to my son's reins. He couldn't stray into the pond area, but he could play on the grass with his toys and run up and down the garden.
This took place when living in London, the authorities visited me and told me to stop the practise or else, despite my reasons. I've an idea the same type of people are still in authorities and I totally agree with Lynn of London. My son is now an MSc, aged 33 yrs and leads a happy-go-lucky life, no drugs, never did smoke, doesn't drink, advanced driver, udies a lot but according to the authorities, I'm an irresponsible parent!
- David Jones, Newport, Isle of Wight, UK
It's law in Australia that all pools have child-roof fences. It would save lives here too.
- Pete, Hastings
It's an absolute tragedy for any child to die under these circumstances - the scenario raises many questions regarding the health & safety of premises allowed for foster care, and indeed, the capability of the carers themselves.
- Freddie & Heather, Liverpool UK
Why does this KEEP happening!?
- Elizabeth Goddard, Whitstable, Kent
Many children are now placed in unsuitable foster homes via agencies who are running businesses for profit. I know of a foster parent who stopped fostering because she said the agencies didn't care where a child was placed as long as it was placed. My son has severe autism and last year (because I received no respite or adequate support), I became very ill with stress of caring for him. I also have a daughter with autism too. I was not offered support within the home the only option I was given was to place him with foster parents until I got better. My son was desperately unhappy, lost weight and would fight to stay with me. It took three grown men to drag my 7-year-old son kicking and screaming out of my home. In the end I put my foot down and refused to let him return to people who were paid 500 a week to care for him. If some of that money paid to foster parents and agencies was redirected into supporting families within their own homes it would be money well-spent. Unless the parent is a direct threat to their child's safety and well-being then that child should never be removed. Better targetted resources given to supporting the parent and helping them become a better parent and more confident parent. For the record it was the biggest mistake I ever made for my son. He still suffers now, he is unable to talk but he cries and clings to me a lot. So people open your eyes ,the system fails families every day. I would never let my son return to foster care.
- Carol Earle, Sutton, London
Yet another example of arrogant social services getting it wrong! Bring social services to justice each time they make a mistake?
- Richard, Chelmsford
So easy to condemn people without all the facts - it is a tragic accident both for the natural parents and foster parents. Leave them to grieve without condemning them.
- Yvonne, West Sussex
I was under the impression that to be a foster parent mean't very stringent home safety at all times. How did this baby get fostered in a home with a swimming pool and how awful for her natural parents, the system failed them and their child totally.
- Lynn, London
