Investigation after three die in same children's care unit

Three disabled children died in similar circumstances at the UK’s largest brain rehabilitation centre for children despite warnings about care failings, The Independent can reveal.

- REBECCA THOMAS HEALTH CORRESPONDENT

Five-year-old Connor Wellsted died in 2017 at The Children’s Trust’s (TCT) Tadworth unit Surrey, having suffocated when a cot bumper became lodged under his chin. Six years later, in 2023, Raihana Awolaja, 12, died when her breathing tube became blocked, and Mia Gauci-Lamport, 16, died after she was found unresponsive in her bed.

Inquests into all three deaths uncovered a litany of failings and identified common problems in the children’s care at the home where multiple senior directors earn six-figure salaries. Now, police have launched a fresh investigation into Connor’s death.

Coroners who investigated their deaths criticised staff for failing to adequately monitor the children – all of whom had complex disabilities and needed one-to-one care – and for not sharing the full circumstances of how they died with authorities. The families of the children, who were all under the care of their local council, are demanding that the government and the regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), take action.

Speaking to The Independent, Connor’s father, Chris Wellsted, said: “How many more children are going to die because of their incompetence? CQC failed, NHS England failed. The government failed. Every organisation that should have been investigating the children’s trust. It’s a disgrace.”

Surrey Police first investigated Conor’s death in 2017, but no further action was taken. The force has now admitted that it failed to deploy a detective inspector to the scene, which is protocol following the sudden death of a child – something it admitted “was a failing on our part”. It said it would review the investigation to decide if further inquiries into his death are needed. It is not reinvestigating Raihana and Mia’s deaths.

‘A disgrace’