Mother killed kids hours after police let her go home

She had attacked husband, as inquest is told of report of ‘inadequate’ service level

- Sentinel Reporter

A MUM who was allowed home by police after admitting assaulting her husband killed their two children just hours later, an inquest heard.

Veronique John was handed an indefinite hospital order last year following the fatal attacks on her daughter Elizabeth, aged seven, and 11-year-old son Ethan at their Stoke home in June 2023.

An inquest at Stoke Civic Centre this week heard evidence from a police officer who had attended the family home the day before the deaths, as well as details of a review of how the tragic case was dealt with by the force.

‘The investigation found the service level given by the police to be ‘inadequate’, coroner Emma Serrano was told. The children’s father, Nathan John, had raised concerns that weekend his wife would ‘use the children against him’

Police were first sent to the family’s Flax Street home on July 9 after Mrs John dialled 999. When PC Megan Maddox arrived Mr John was out, but the children were upstairs and she deemed the case ‘medium risk’