The Misery Machine - The Case of Baby P

Starting point is 00:00:00 Tracy Connolly, the woman who would become one of the most infamous mothers in UK history, did not have a smooth childhood. Tracy was born on June 29, 1981 in Leicester, England to mother Mary O'Connor. Tracy's biological father was not in the picture for long, as he was a traveling salesman. More on him later. By 1983, Tracy, her older brother and her mother had moved from Leicester to Islington, London, to be with another one of Mary's partners. Mary viewed her children with discontent.

Starting point is 00:00:32 She did not care about them, only about herself and her romantic endeavors. Tracy and her brother were left largely to fend for themselves and were at the mercy of their mother's wicked tongue. It was only when Tracy reached her teenage years that she discovered the uncomfortable truth. This sent Tracy on a wild path spiraling out of control at just 13. Her mother regularly abused alcohol and drugs and social services quickly. became involved with the Conleys. Tracy told the social worker that she was regularly physically and verbally abused by her mom and stepdad, and she was given a choice. She could either go into a care home or attend a live-in reform school. At the same time, a relative chose to go into a state-run care

Starting point is 00:01:17 home. Although this relative was never officially named, it was thought to be Tracy's older brother. Years later, this care home run by the Islington Council would be exposed for running a ring that targeted vulnerable children, kind of like what Epstein did. The leaders of the group would also groom their victims to go out and find other children to bring into the ring. To say Tracy's childhood was marred with abuse and tragedy would be an understatement. She would go on to model this in her own version of motherhood. Tracy did manage to finish school when she was 16 and began thinking about what her future may look like. That was until she met a man, referred to as Mr. X, as his name was not released the public.

Starting point is 00:02:03 Mr. X was 33 years old, 17 years her senior. Their relationship moved very quickly, with the two marrying at the Haringay Civic Center. Just weeks after their marriage, Tracy discovered that she was pregnant. She was overjoyed to be a mother. Over the course of several years, Tracy and Mr. X would have four children together. Friends described their relationship as volatile and completely unstable. A pattern also began to emerge here. After every birth, Tracy was struck down with crippling depression. Life for Tracy and Mr. X continued as normal, and they raised their children the best that they could.

Starting point is 00:02:43 In 2005, Tracy, now 24 years old, found out she was expecting again. This time, she was going to have a boy. She said, I was desperate for a boy. I was ecstatic when Peter was born. Tracy attended all of her scans and appointments. Having a boy seemed to be the turning point for Tracy. We'll be back in just one minute. Please stick around for the following ad. It not only supports the channel, but it also supports charities in our area.

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Starting point is 00:03:29 Best of all, when you subscribe to their newsletter, you'll receive a coupon for free shipping. Check out shiny metal things now and let them know that Yergy sent you. Thanks and back to the episode. Despite the glowing joy that the pregnancy brought Tracy, her marriage was still riddled with issues. Shortly before giving birth, Tracy met Stephen Barker, a man with an IQ of 60 in a similar background. The pair bonded over their troubled childhoods, and a spark quickly grew between them. But Stephen Barker came with a condition, and that condition was his older brother, Jason Owen. Stephen confided in Tracy that as a child, he had been abused by Jason. Allegedly he was dominant and in control, and Stephen turned the abuse he suffered into sadistic attacks on others.

Starting point is 00:04:16 Now, you'd think that this confession would signal major red flags. However, as the weeks went by, Stephen began spending more and more time at Tracy's home, much to the dismay of her husband. There was no time to argue as on March 1st, 2006, the couple welcomed their son, Peter, into the world. Photos of Peter online displayed his angelic blonde curls and captivating blue eyes, the same eyes that would stare into his mother's soul and beg for mercy just months later. Mr. X was now at a breaking point with Stephen's presence and his son.

Starting point is 00:04:49 dysfunctional marriage to Tracy. Weeks after Peter was born, he left home and announced their divorce. On social media, Tracy's posts quickly changed from her gloating about her beautiful little boy to gloating about her new boyfriend Stephen Barker. However, Stephen was not exactly a catch. He would lay on the sofa all day waiting for Tracy to cook him meals. At first, Stephen Barker was good to Peter. He helped to feed and change him, but things slowly began to change.

Starting point is 00:05:18 Despite Tracy's turbulent childhood, her mother, Mary, was still very much involved in her daughter's life. In fact, she played an active role in the lives of her grandchildren. She later stated that any time Stephen entered the room, Peter would cry and try to run away from him. At the tail end of 2006, Stephen Barker moved into Tracy's home, although it was kept under wraps so Tracy could still collect benefits as though she were a single parent. Tracy justified her son's fright by telling her mother, but he was just scared because Stephen was so tall, standing at six foot, four inches tall. Regardless of how her mother or Peter felt about Stephen, Tracy remained devoted to him.

Starting point is 00:05:57 She began neglecting all of her duties as a mother in favor of her new boyfriend. The pair would sit on the sofa together, watching TV and scrolling through endless Facebook posts. They would also leave Peter, who was less than a year old, to fend for himself. Not much is known about Tracy's other children within the home, but it could be reason that they probably weren't much better off. In September of 2006, when Peter was around six months old, he would appear at the first of many doctor's visits. Tracy told the doctor that Peter had a cough and a diaper rash,

Starting point is 00:06:30 common ailments for a baby. But this wasn't what raised eyebrows. During the appointment, Tracy made a bizarre comment. She said that she was worried that Peter bruised easily and she did not want to be labeled as an abuser. This bizarre comment was noted down, but it appears that no further action was taken. However, Peter's health began to rapidly decline. In October of 2006, Tracy and Peter presented to the doctor once again with another injury.

Starting point is 00:07:00 This time, Peter was noted as having bruising on the left side of his chest and head. Soon, Tracy began to spin an effective web of lies. She told them that seven-month-old Peter had fallen down the stairs. Much like the first doctor's visit, nothing was done. The pair left with nothing but advice. Put up a baby gate so he can't do it again. Nobody questioned why Peter had been at the top of the stairs unattended. During the end of 2006, there were many adult visitors to the home, including Stephen's

Starting point is 00:07:31 abusive brother, Jason Owen. There was someone else as well. Tracy's biological father re-emerged and wanted to be an active participant in Peter's life. Many on the outside saw a father trying to repeat. pair a very broken relationship, but Tracy's father had a dark past. According to reports, in the 1970s, he was arrested and charged with the essay of a 14-year-old girl. Later in our story, you will see how Tracy neglected to vet the adults in her son's life. This included her father.

Starting point is 00:08:02 Despite his past, he was allowed to visit her home with no questions asked. On December 11, 2006, Peter was taken to the doctor with a swollen head. Between these visits, we can only imagine the horrors that baby Peter faced. At this appointment, the doctor was frightened by Tracy's lack of urgency as he explained that Peter needed emergency treatment right away. Tracy and Peter were sent to Whittington Hospital, where he was assessed by Dr. Heather McKinney. Now, Dr. McKinion was a seasoned pediatrician had seen far too many cases of abuse come

Starting point is 00:08:37 through her doors. From the moment she laid eyes on Peter, she knew she was dealing with yet a another case. She examined Peter and noted that his head was extremely swollen, putting him at risk for serious damage to the brain. She also created a body map that was added to his medical record. The body mat noted bruising on his forehead, backside, face, and chest. Whilst Peter would have been crawling at this age, there was no explanation for the amount of bruising he suffered. Dr. McKinneyin wrote on the file, Not to be allowed home. Police protection or if necessary. Tracy tried to pull the wool over Dr. McKinion's eyes, telling her two different lies.

Starting point is 00:09:19 The first lie was that Peter had fallen off the sofa, and the second was that Peter suffered from a condition that made him bruise easily, though she couldn't quite name exactly what this condition was called. Thankfully, Dr. McKinion's clinical expertise allowed her to see through the lies of an uncaring mother. Peter was held in the hospital for four days. Carrying gay social services were also contacted. However, this agency doesn't exactly have a good track record. These are the same social services that allowed the brutal torture and murder of Victoria Columbia in the year of 2000. Like Victoria, Peter would be yet another failure of a system designed to protect him. On December 15th of 2006, Peter was added to the Children's Protection Register by Harringay Social Services and was discharged

Starting point is 00:10:09 into the care of a relative. Tracy and her mother, Mary O'Connor, were arrested, but no further action was taken. In January of 2007, Peter was allowed to return to Tracy and Stephen Barker. During his time with a relative, his development began to flourish. Peter had gained weight and was described as a happy, smiling child. However, he would only know peace for a month. Then, He was thrown back into the lion's den with nobody to save him. Haringay's social services assigned Maria Ward to Peter's case. Shortly after his hospitalization, she made her first home visit. According to her notes, the home was filthy, stank of urine, and was littered with animal waste.

Starting point is 00:10:54 Alongside Tracy and her four children, several dogs lived in the home, and they were allowed to relieve themselves wherever they felt like it. Tracy also spent her time in front of the TV or laptop, smoking 60 cigarettes a day instead of attending to her children. With a house in such a state of disrepair, Haringay Social Services decided to move Tracy and the children into a new home in Tottenham, which falls within the boundaries of Haringay. Again, social services were oblivious to the fact that Stephen Barker was also living in the home. As previously mentioned, Peter was on the Child Protection Register,

Starting point is 00:11:32 and everyone who had contact with him should have been vetted. Social Services failed to vet Tracy's father, her mother, Mary O'Connor, and Stephen Barker, all folks who had a troubled or dangerous past. Shortly after the move, another one of Tracy's children whose name has been withheld from the press was also the subject of a herringay social services investigation. We will refer to them as Child A. In March of that year, Herringay Social Services was called to the child school after was reported that Tracy was slapping and shouting at child A. This was witnessed by a school nurse who has a duty to report such incidents. Haringay social services reacted in a typical fashion. They told Tracy she would need to attend a parenting course and the file was marked no further action.

Starting point is 00:12:22 This incident should have been a major red flag for Haringay Social Services. One of Tracy's children was already on the Child Protection Register and had been hospitalized. with serious injuries, and now another one of her children had been abused in front of witnesses. Why did the agency fail so badly? Should this not have been a catalyst to remove the children from Tracy's care? As you will see, herringy social services would continue to fail Tracy's children time and time again. While Herringay Social Services as a whole failed Peter, the social worker in charge of his case, Maria Ward, did the best within her powers to keep tabs on him.

Starting point is 00:13:02 She stepped up the amount of visits and even began visiting unannounced. Each time she turned up for a random visit, she would be subjected to verbal abuse from Tracy. Maria ignored her and continued to visit Peter and try to make something work. Unfortunately, Maria's superiors saw nothing wrong with Tracy's home. Another shining star in the tragedy of Peter's life was Nevers Kamal. She worked alongside Maria at the agency and in February of 2007, She wrote a letter to the Department of Health outlining her concerns. However, her pleas for help were ignored.

Starting point is 00:13:39 It was later reported that instead of her concerns being taken up and acted upon, Nevers ended up bullied, ostracized, and drummed out of her job. She then had to agree to an injunction by Herringay counsel in a bid to keep her silent. As Peter was at the age where he could crawl and almost walk, Tracy saw this as an indicator that he was capable of, looking after himself. This was an attitude she had taken with her three other children. Either Sheen or Stephen Barker worked. Instead, they spent their days sleeping until dinner time, lazing on the sofa and smoking cigarettes. If not on the sofa, Stephen Barker could

Starting point is 00:14:19 oftentimes be found watching adult films. March 1st, 2007 came and went, and there was no mention of a birthday party for Little Peter. In April of 2007, when he was 17 months old, Peter was taken by Tracy to the North Middlesex Hospital in London. During this visit, Peter was noted as having boggy swelling in the left side of his head, severe neck pain, a circular bruise on his right cheek, and a rash on his arms and headlights. Peter was in a sorry state, yet nobody ordered a police protection order. Peter was on the Child Protection Register, and the police could have been there within minutes to secure him until alternative custody could be arranged by social services. So why did this not happen?

Starting point is 00:15:03 Unfortunately, Peter was discharged later that day without further intervention. Tracy's lies continued during the visit too. When asked about the swelling, she told the nurse that Peter had been pushed into a fireplace by another child. However, this injury had taken place four days before his hospitalization. Why didn't anyone question Tracy on why it had taken her so long to seek help? After being hospitalized and examined, the swelling had subsided, so Peter was okay. It is unclear if Maria Ward or Herringay Social Services were made aware of this hospitalization whatsoever. In June of 2007, things became worse in the Tottenham Council House.

Starting point is 00:15:41 It was already crowded with Tracy, her four children, several dogs, and Stephen Barker living inside. That didn't stop Stephen's brother, Jason, from moving in with his 15-year-old girlfriends. And I use the word girlfriend loosely here. We have briefly mentioned Jason Owen, but to understand the abuse that Peter was about to suffer, we really need to talk about Stephen and Jason's past history. In 1995, the brothers moved into the home of their 82-year-old grandmother, Hilda Barker. Hilda was known to emergency services as her grandsons constantly terrorized her. On one occasion, they locked her in a cupboard and refused to let her out until she gave

Starting point is 00:16:21 them money. They would lock her in the home and stop her from going to see her friends. The pair routinely wore Halloween masks to scare the old woman. As Jason Owen grew into adulthood, his cruelty continued. There were reports of Jason being cruel to animals and everyone else around him. By 2007, he had five children with two different women. It is unclear if his 15-year-old girlfriend was the mother of any of these children, but we sincerely hope not.

Starting point is 00:16:51 The reason the pair moved in with Tracy was very simple. They were running away from her family who were disgusted by their relationship. Jason brought with him three of his children, upheaving them from their existing schools and lives. We don't know how many bedrooms the home had, but we certainly know it wasn't big enough to accommodate 11 individuals in a plethora of dogs. Dirt and rubbish quickly piled up. Animal feces littered the floor along with dirty diapers that had been discarded. On June 1st, 2007, Maria Ward made an unannounced visit to the home. She was shocked by what she saw. The home was cramped with the house. The home was cramped with nine children and three adults, which was contrary to Tracy's statement that she and her four

Starting point is 00:17:34 children lived there alone. Jason Owen should have also been vetted as he was around Peter, but again, Haringay Social Services failed to do this. During the visit, Maria Ward found Peter lying on the sofa under a blanket, so that Pierre was lifeless and barely moving. He was covered in scratches and bruises. Peter was taken to the North Middlesex University Hospital under the orders of Maria Ward, but again, the system failed him. Doctors on duty believed Tracy and Stephen when they said that their older children had just been playing rough with Peter. Again, Peter was sent home with Tracy as Harringay Social Services was content that he would be safeguarded by the family friend who was staying for a few days with Tracy. This was a very optimistic and

Starting point is 00:18:20 misguided decision by the agency, one that directly led to Peter's death. June 30th, 2007 would mark the final contact that Maria Ward would have with Peter. In what would be her final report, she noted that Peter was now fidgety and restless, a large contrast to the last time she had seen him. His face and hands were smeared with chocolate, and his scalp and ears were bright red. Maria requested that Tracy cleaned Peter up, but when an adult took him away, they never brought him back until long after Maria had left. For the next two months, Peter would be subjected to some of the most vile abuse imaginable.

Starting point is 00:19:02 What Maria and Haringay Social Services didn't know was that Peter's face had been smeared with chocolate in an attempt to hide his growing list of injuries. Disturbingly, in early August 2007, the Metropolitan Police announced that all prior charges against Tracy Conley stemming from the December 2006 incident have been officially dropped. little did they know that just three days into the month, tragedy would strike. On August 1st, 2007, Peter made one final appearance, this time at St. Anne's Hospital. Here, Tracy's web of lies ran unchecked as she now had a fresh team of medical professionals to lie to. The attending doctor was told that Peter's behavior was problematic, and was known to bite and headbutt other children. The doctor noted that Peter was underweight for his age, but little consideration was taken. to this or the fact that he had previously been the subject of a police protection order or intervention

Starting point is 00:20:00 from social services. On August 3rd, 2007, at 1135 a.m., Tracy placed a call to emergency services. Through tears, she told dispatchers that her youngest child, 17-month-old Peter, was not breathing, and his skin was blue. An ambulance was sent to the home where paramedics would stumble across a horrific sight. Baby Peter was found wearing nothing. nothing but a diaper which was completely soiled. The home was filthy, with dismembered animals strewn about, and human feces smeared up the walls. Tracy had crowded around the paramedics begging for them to do something, but it was clear that it was too late. Peter's fragile body was loaded into the ambulance. Before leaving the home, Tracy first asked if the paramedics could

Starting point is 00:20:50 wait while she grabbed her cigarettes. During the animal, ambulance ride, Tracy was asked about Peter's condition, to which she replied that she had last checked on Peter at around 1 a.m. and that he had been dealing with a fungal infection. Less than an hour later, at 12.19 p.m., Peter Conley was pronounced dead. The attending doctors and nurses wept when they tended to Peter's tiny body. By 145 p.m., Tracy Connolly had been placed under arrest. It was clear that Peter had not died due to natural causes, nor a disease or illness. In the coming days, only an autopsy would reveal the full nature of Peter's injuries

Starting point is 00:21:30 in his harrowing final months on this earth. The coroner tasks with conducting Peter's autopsy had to create a full body map. There was no one part of Peter that hadn't been injured. Bruises littered literally every part of his body. The report outlined severe cuts to the top of his head, gashes to his head, which had been made by either an animal or a human, they couldn't tell which, bruises to his left temple, cuts to his neck and chin, and missing skin from his nose, lips, and tongue. He had a ripped frenulum, injuries to his gums, and a missing front tooth

Starting point is 00:22:09 was later found in his stomach. His left ear had been ripped away from his head. Peter had a fractured shin bone, seven fractured ribs, and a fractured spinal column. The force required to cause a fractured spinal column. We've been equal to that of a car crash. But the injuries didn't stop there, with the coroner also finding soft tissue lost to his right middle finger. Some of his fingertips had been sliced off with a Stanley knife. In addition, some of his nails had been ripped out with pliers.

Starting point is 00:22:44 The ones that remained were blackened. Stephen Barker was also arrested, and the police began immediately. searching for Jason and his teenage girlfriend. As it turns out, the pair had taken evidence which included Peter's bloodied sheets and clothing and destroyed them. The pair were later found hiding with what was described as a cachet of weapons. When Jason was apprehended, he wasted no time turning on his brother. Jason stated that on August 2, 2007, the day before Peter died, Tracy and Stephen wrapped Peter up like a cocoon and laid him face down on the floor and left him

Starting point is 00:23:19 there all day. The British media quickly got a hold of Peter's case, and he was known as Baby P for most of the proceedings until his name and identity were leaked. The Baby P case was incredibly high profile and is still a case that conjures outraged for this day. Haringay social services and the Metropolitan Police were lambasted for their involvement or lack thereof in Peter's case. It sparked many discussions on just how inadequate services are in England. Tracy Connolly was subjected to a psychiatric evaluation and found fit to stand trial. Her legal team tried to push the narrative that Tracy had no idea what was happening with her in her own home and that she was oblivious to the torture and murder of her own son.

Starting point is 00:24:04 Shortly before Peter died, Tracy wrote the following notes, and I quote, Life is bullshit. I'm fed up with letting people down. All my life I have messed up. When will I ever get it right? Sometimes I wonder why I am here, as I always feel I'm useless and worthless. People should stay away for me, as I have always messed up everyone who's close to me. I am a jinx to all I know.

Starting point is 00:24:31 Infuriatingly, the Crown Prosecution Service admitted that there was a lack of evidence when it came to Tracy Conley, allowing her to plead guilty to the lesser charge of causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person. Brothers Jason and Stephen decided to try their luck at trial, and every aspect of their lives was called in the question. Their background was thoroughly examined, and it was found that the pair had been members of the National Front, a far-right and fascist political party of the UK. Stephen had a bizarre obsession with World War II, one that surpasses even historical interest. Stephen and Jason would regularly harass and abuse other residents on the street who were non-white or non-British, and everyone kept well away from them. Most neighbors knew the family within the home were evil, but nobody

Starting point is 00:25:18 knew just how deprave they were. In late 2008, the charges of Stephen Barker and Jason Owen were downgraded from homicide to the same charges as Tracy. There was not enough evidence in Jason's case, and Stephen was cleared of murder by the jury. A year after Stephen Barker's trial, Tracy and Stephen were also tried on suspicion of the essay of a two-year-old girl who had been on the same protection register as Peter. Stephen Barker was found guilty of the essay, whilst Tracy managed to walk away Scott Free. For her involvement in allowing or causing the death of her 17-month-old son, Tracy Conley was given an indefinite prison sentence with a minimum of just five years. Stephen Barker, who faced the same charges, was handed 12 years in prison for allowing or causing the death of Peter, and an additional minimum of 10 years for the essay of the two-year-old girl.

Starting point is 00:26:16 Jason Owen was also handed an indefinite sentence with a minimum of just three years. These sentences sparked a national outrage, understandably so. In 2014, Jason Owen was released from prison after serving only six years. He's now living in London under a new identity. According to the son, Jason now works as a personal trainer and life coach. As he's no longer on probation, he cannot be monitored by the authorities. According to one source, Owen tells people that he is self-employed and is a personal trainer. He is obsessed with the gym and goes virtually every day. It is shocking to think that people are rubbing shoulders with him and maybe even taking advice off him without knowing what he did.

Starting point is 00:27:02 Tracy Connolly was released from prison in 2022 after being denied parole bids in 2015, 2017, and 2019. She had initially been released in 2013 but returned to prison for violating the conditions of her parole. During that time, she planned to move in with Tony Hewitson, a woman who she met in prison who was convicted of torturing and essaying disabled women. Apparently Tracy is still making horrible choices as to whom she chooses to spend her time with, as according to new sources, she now lives in a a halfway house under a new identity where she befriended child killer Helen Caldwell. Helen suffocated her three-year-old daughter Bethany with her own piglet-themed pajamas.

Starting point is 00:27:42 Despite the new identity, Tracy seems to be a fixture in the tabloids. As of the day of this recording in January of 2024, Stephen Barker still remains in prison. In the wake of Peter's death, the UK government launched a serious case review in which it discovered every service in contact with Peter had failed him. This, report also mentioned how herringay social services and some of the hospitals he attended were the same services that had failed victoria climbier just seven years earlier while peter's case highlighted the problems within the u.k and its social services system would be naive to say that anything has really changed there have been several high-profile instances of c a related deaths in the year since

Starting point is 00:28:28 2007 and little is set to change. How many children worldwide have to die for this issue to be taken seriously? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below.

The Misery Machine - The Case of Baby P

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