Social services left little girl to die 'at hands of mother'

Ntsimbi Galacia, 23, had been reported to police several times in recent weeks after neighbours became concerned about her increasingly erratic behaviour.

She was arrested by police last week for harassing a shopkeeper with deranged claims that he was the father of her daughter, Balthous.

Officers referred her to a mental health team who concluded last Thursday that she was not suffering from a mental health disorder and took no further action.

Police were called to her flat in Barking, Essex, shortly after midnight on Tuesday after a neighbour heard screams.

They found Balthous knifed to death and her mother suffering serious stabbed wounds.

Miss Galtricia was taken to hospital where her condition is described as serious but not life-threatening. North East London Mental Health Trust, which carried out her assessment, have now begun an investigation.

A multi-agency serious case review also been launched.

Barking and Dagenham Council said Balthous had not been on the child protection register and was not in care. Social services were not involved with the case.

Locals said that Miss Galtricia, a Congolese national, had behaved strangely since she moved to the area with her daughter eight months ago.

Huseyin Alacayir, 26, who works in an off licence nearby, said he called police several times after being constantly harassed by her.

He said: "I have had to bar her from my shop. She kept telling me I was her husband, that we lived together for three years and that I was the father of her girl.

"This was just complete nonsense. I had no idea who she was and she would make similar claims to other shop owners round here.

"I felt very sorry for her little girl because despite everything she was so happy and she loved playing with the other children outside."

Another resident, Kay James, 37, said Miss Galtricia allowed her daughter to run into the road and at one point made the girl cry by roughly picking her up by the arm and dropping her onto the pavement.

Mr James said: "I said to the police officer that they should take the kid off the mother because she was clearly not very well.

"I am disgusted that no one has done anything to keep the little girl safe. This seems to me as if it was completely preventable if they had taken action sooner."