David and Samuel Briggs (Filipache)
Sun, 2008-05-25 16:26 - Niels
In October 2000, less than four months after arriving in County Armagh, 14-month-old David died in the care of his adoptive parents Gwen and Geoffrey Briggs.
The Assistant State Pathologist for Northern Ireland, Dr Michael Curtis, failed to examine X-rays which showed multiple fractures on David's body when he carried out an initial post-mortem. Later his body was exhumed and a second post-mortem examination revealed 27 partially-healed fractures.
Two weeks after the death of David Briggs, his 14-month old twin brother Samuel was brought to hospital with a fractured skull. Geoffrey Briggs had punched the child for refusing to take some medicine. Unlike his brother Samuel survived the attack.
Geoffrey Briggs received one year imprisonment for the attack on Samuel and was released after six months when he was being attacked by fellow inmates, after which the couple fled to Scotland. For the death of David no-one was ever charged.
The boys were adopted from Romania, where there parents were unaware of their adoption.
Date: 2000-10-01
Placement type: Adoption
Type of abuse: Non-lethal physical abuse, Lethal physical abuse
Abuser: Adoptive father
Homestudy agency: Craigavon and Banbridge HSS Trust
Placement agency: Parinti si Copii (Parents and Children run by adoption attorney Oana Harvalia)
Location: Portadown, ARM, UK
| Case File | Report Date |
|---|---|
| No prosecutions after Romanian child's death | 2008-02-09 |
| No prosecution over twin's death | 2008-02-08 |
| New pathologist missed infant's multiple fractures | 2005-02-12 |
| 'My nightmare over case of tragic twins' | 2004-09-04 |
| Tragic twins 'were not orphans' | 2004-03-23 |
| TOT ATTACK MINISTER TRACKED | 2004-03-21 |
| Medic Faces Disciplinary Action Over Twin's Death | 2004-03-09 |
| 'No concerns' over twin's home | 2004-02-27 |
| Probe after orphan death | 2004-02-26 |
| Pathologist found not guilty | 2004-01-16 |
| Baby 'was starved of oxygen' | 2004-01-14 |
| Injuries 'should have been seen' | 2004-01-13 |
| How did baby die? | 2003-09-04 |
| Trust criticised over baby death | 2003-09-04 |
| Health chiefs 'failed' tragic adopted twin | 2003-09-04 |
| Baby's injuries report kept secret | 2003-07-02 |
| Call to release baby report | 2003-07-02 |
| Baby beater is targeted by loyalist pipe bomber | 2002-10-20 |
| Jail after 'grave' attack on baby | 2002-03-21 |
| Vicious dad brutally beat the baby he travelled across world to adopt | 2001-12-02 |
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