Gran’s plea for march over Baby P death (From Bournemouth Echo)

Gran’s plea for march over Baby P death

7:00am Tuesday 18th November 2008 in Search By Emma Joseph

A BOURNEMOUTH grandmother is urging people to take to the streets in a bid to prevent a repeat of the tragic death of Baby P.

Jennie Saunders from Mansel Close, Talbot Village, was so upset after hearing about the toddler’s death that she set up a group on social networking site Facebook.

The site features links to petitions calling for the resignation of the social workers involved in the case and for stiffer sentences for people found guilty of child abuse.

Jennie is also organising a peaceful march in the town to tie in with a number of similar protests taking place across the country.

A major child care investigation was sparked at Haringey council following the death of Baby P last August. The toddler suffered more than 50 injuries despite 60 visits from the authorities over eight months.

It was revealed yesterday that police wanted to place the youngster in care but were persuaded by social services to return him to his abusive 27-year-old mother who, along with her boyfriend and another man, was last week convicted of causing or allowing the boy’s death.

Jennie, 47, only set up the group on Facebook last Friday but already has more than 700 members.

She said: “I heard about it all on the news and I was just so upset. We all sit there and say ‘that’s terrible’ but I just love kids and I felt so strongly about it.

“I feel that, as a nation, we’ve all got to pull together and put a stop to this. When Victoria Climbie died they said it would never happen again and it has.”

Jennie has been in contact with several other people who have set up similar groups on the site who are arranging marches in Coventry, Newcastle and London.

Details of the walk will be finalised nearer the time, but it is anticipated to begin at Bournemouth Triangle and finish at the Town Hall.

She said: “They’re asking for people to set them up in different parts of the UK. It will be on December 13 at 12pm – that’s two days before the sentencing of the people that killed this child.

“These children haven’t got a voice so somebody has to have a voice for them.”