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| East Yorkshire mother jailed after son drowns in garden pond | East Yorkshire mother jailed after son drowns in garden pond |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A mother has been jailed for five years after her toddler son drowned in a pond while she chatted on Facebook. | A mother has been jailed for five years after her toddler son drowned in a pond while she chatted on Facebook. |
| Claire Barnett pleaded guilty to four charges of neglect at Hull Crown Court. | Claire Barnett pleaded guilty to four charges of neglect at Hull Crown Court. |
| The court heard the 31-year-old was on Facebook instead of supervising Joshua, two, while he was in the back garden. | The court heard the 31-year-old was on Facebook instead of supervising Joshua, two, while he was in the back garden. |
| Prosecutors said Barnett was told to cover the pond by relatives and had been warned by Social Services after two of her children were nearly run over while playing unsupervised. | Prosecutors said Barnett was told to cover the pond by relatives and had been warned by Social Services after two of her children were nearly run over while playing unsupervised. |
| The incident happened at the family's home on Ferry Lane, Woodmansey, East Yorkshire on 17 March last year. | The incident happened at the family's home on Ferry Lane, Woodmansey, East Yorkshire on 17 March last year. |
| The court heard Barnett gave police conflicting accounts of what she had been doing but investigators found she had uploaded two photos to Facebook and taken a call from her boyfriend instead of watching her son. | The court heard Barnett gave police conflicting accounts of what she had been doing but investigators found she had uploaded two photos to Facebook and taken a call from her boyfriend instead of watching her son. |
| Joshua was pulled unconscious from the pond and given first aid by his mother while waiting for an ambulance, but he died later in hospital. | Joshua was pulled unconscious from the pond and given first aid by his mother while waiting for an ambulance, but he died later in hospital. |
| Prosecuting lawyer Peter Moulson, QC, said it was not known how long the toddler was in the ornamental pond before his mother went to him. | Prosecuting lawyer Peter Moulson, QC, said it was not known how long the toddler was in the ornamental pond before his mother went to him. |
| "It may have been as short as 20 seconds," he said. | "It may have been as short as 20 seconds," he said. |
| "There was evidence the defendant had been on a mobile telephone in the lounge on Facebook when Joshua was at the pond. | "There was evidence the defendant had been on a mobile telephone in the lounge on Facebook when Joshua was at the pond. |
| "The danger present of this neglect was obvious." | "The danger present of this neglect was obvious." |
| 'Appalling parenting' | 'Appalling parenting' |
| He told the court: "The defendant had been warned by other members of her family about the pond. | He told the court: "The defendant had been warned by other members of her family about the pond. |
| "Claire Barnett said she would have to fence it off or that there was a mesh over it. None of that was put in place. | |
| "The defendant was well aware of the risk and had taken no steps to have it fenced off." | "The defendant was well aware of the risk and had taken no steps to have it fenced off." |
| Mr Moulson said that in 2013 social services were contacted by the NSPCC after two of Barnett's children were almost hit by a car while playing near a busy road. | |
| The court heard they had no shoes, inadequate clothing and were unsupervised. | |
| Defence barrister Timothy Roberts, QC, said Barnett had been getting ready to take the family's dog for a walk when Joshua drowned. | Defence barrister Timothy Roberts, QC, said Barnett had been getting ready to take the family's dog for a walk when Joshua drowned. |
| "She became distracted by a Facebook comment that was posted to her rather than the other way around," he said. | "She became distracted by a Facebook comment that was posted to her rather than the other way around," he said. |
| "Any mother going about the house can be distracted by a telephone or a washing machine." | "Any mother going about the house can be distracted by a telephone or a washing machine." |
| Passing sentence, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said Barnett's "lamentably appalling parenting led to fatal consequences". | Passing sentence, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said Barnett's "lamentably appalling parenting led to fatal consequences". |
| He added: "If you should have any further children, they will almost certainly be removed from you. | He added: "If you should have any further children, they will almost certainly be removed from you. |
| "You pose very serious risks to any child for whom you have responsibility." | "You pose very serious risks to any child for whom you have responsibility." |