BLACKPOOL MUM JAILED FOR KILLING HER BABY GIRL 'FOUND WITH A BLANKET WRAPPED AROUND HER FACE
New evidence has shown that Caitlin Jones was actively researching online about infants dying from suffocation and the potential legal consequences for parents in such cases.In Blackpool, a mother has been sentenced to prison for her involvement in her baby daughter’s death.
Caitlin Jones, aged 22, was convicted of manslaughter and received a prison term of five years and eight months at Preston Crown Court on April 1.
The Court of Appeal later reviewed her case and increased her sentence to eight years, following a referral from the Attorney General’s Office under the scheme for unduly lenient sentences.
Eight-month-old Francesca Haworth died in November 2018 due to suffocation in an address in Blackpool.
Jones admitted to manslaughter and was initially sentenced in April.
The appeal court noted that her original sentence was too lenient.
During the hearing via video link from HMP Styal in Cheshire, Jones appeared emotional and was observed wiping tears.
Oliver Glasgow QC, representing the Attorney General, argued that the initial sentencing judge underestimated the seriousness of the crime given Jones’ personal circumstances.
The court was told Jones searched the internet for methods of baby suffocation shortly before the incident, between 1:30 am and 6 am, and tried to delete these searches at around 7 am.
The court heard that Jones claimed she went to sleep at about 1 am and found Francesca with a tightly wrapped blanket around her face approximately at 7:20 am.
While she did not blame her partner, the investigation focused on him given her hints and statements.
Jones’ relationship was described as ‘loveless’, and she reportedly faced mental health issues, although no expert evidence supported this.
She had expressed feelings of being unable to cope.
Her defense, led by Fiona Horlick QC, emphasized her deep care for her daughter and argued that this case was not one of ongoing neglect or deliberate harm.
The impact of a longer prison sentence on her family was also highlighted.
Lady Justice Macur, delivering the ruling, noted the reasons behind Francesca's death remain unknown, as she was described as a healthy and happy child.
The court found that her vulnerability significantly aggravated the case.
The original sentence was deemed unduly lenient, and the court replaced it with an eight-year term, criticizing the original judge’s reasoning, which appeared to undervalue the severity of the offence.
