A baby was found dead in the woods a long time ago, in 1998. Now, after 25 years, the police have found out who the mother was. Her name is Joanne Sharkey. She is facing justice for killing her baby, who they named Callum. This is a surprising story because it took so long to find out what happened.
A Terrible Thing Happened: Baby Callum Was Left Alone
A baby was found dead near a park called Gulliver’s World. People in the area were very upset. The baby was killed and then put in bags. For many years, nobody knew who the mother was or why the baby died.
A Long Time of Silence: The Case Was Forgotten
Years went by, and the case of Baby Callum was still a sad memory for the police and people living there. They tried to find out what happened, but they couldn’t. But things changed when new ways to look at clues were invented.
DNA Helps Solve the Mystery
Something important happened in 2023. The police were looking at old clues again. Joanne Sharkey’s older son had been arrested for something else, and his DNA was put in a system. This DNA matched the DNA found on Baby Callum.
Police Find the Mother
Because of the DNA, the police arrested Joanne Sharkey, who is now 55 years old. They also arrested her husband. People were shocked that they might finally know what happened to Baby Callum.
Woman Says, “You Can’t Get Away with Things Forever”
When the police talked to Joanne Sharkey, she admitted that she killed Baby Callum. She said she was not thinking clearly at the time. She said that you can’t hide things forever.
What Happened to the Baby: The Mother Was Desperate
Sharkey said she hid that she was pregnant. She said she had the baby at home, and it was easy. But then the baby started crying, and she panicked. She said she made the baby quiet because she didn’t know what else to do.
Getting Rid of the Baby’s Body
After the baby died, Sharkey kept the body at her house for some time. Then, she put the baby in a plastic bag and drove around. She stopped near Gulliver’s World and tried to hide the body. Then she went home and cleaned everything so nobody would know.
Was She Sick After Having the Baby?
It turns out that Sharkey was very sad and sick after having the baby. This is called post-natal depression. Experts think this made it hard for her to think clearly and might have caused her to do what she did.
Going to Court
Joanne Sharkey went to court and said she was guilty of killing the baby. Her lawyers asked the judge not to send her to jail because she had lived with this secret for so long and she helped the police. But the judge needs more time to decide what to do.
The Judge Will Decide What Happens Next
The judge will decide soon what punishment Sharkey will get. The court will think about how bad the crime was, but also that Sharkey was not well when it happened and that she has kept this secret for many years.
How DNA Helps Solve Old Crimes
The Baby Callum case shows how important DNA is for solving old crimes. Even after many years, DNA can help the police find out who did something wrong.
People Still Remember Baby Callum
Even though they found out who the mother was, people still remember Baby Callum. He is buried in a small grave, and it reminds people that babies are fragile and that mothers need help if they are feeling sad after giving birth.
What We Can Learn
The story of Joanne Sharkey and Baby Callum teaches us that it’s important to get help if you are feeling very sad after having a baby. It also shows that the police will keep trying to find out the truth, even if it takes a very long time. New science can help make sure people are responsible for what they do, no matter how long ago it was.