Agenda: NPCC Homicide Working Group National Child Death Investigation Conference 2025

Monday, July 14, 2025
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM	Registration, Refreshments and Networking
9:30 AM - 9:45 AM	Welcome and Housekeeping
9:45 AM - 11:00 AM	Operation Diffuser Detective Chief Inspector Craig Powell, Suffolk and Norfolk Constabulary Detective Sergeant Claire Roche, Suffolk Constabulary Case-study of the investigation by Suffolk Constabulary into the murder of two-year-old Isabella Jonas-Wheildon and the conviction of the mother of the child for allowing the death of a child and her boyfriend for murder.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM	Refreshments and Networking
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM	Trauma Resilience in Child Death Investigations A leading academic expert in trauma will discuss the challenges of developing coping mechanisms to process trauma exposure and how wellbeing support can be offered to those in high-risk roles.
12:45 PM - 1:00 PM	Operation Marshall Eve Perkins, Research Assistant - Forensic Medical Advice Team, National Crime Agency
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM	Lunch and Networking
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM	Operation Unison Detective Chief Inspector Craig Emmerson, Surrey Police Detective Chief Inspector Natalie Pearce, Safeguarding East Division, Surrey Police Case-study of the investigation by Surrey Police into the murder of Sara Sharif resulting in the convictions of her father and step-mother for murder and her uncle for causing or allowing the death of a child.
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM	Refreshments and Networking
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM	Bite Mark Analysis in Child Homicide Cases Law Enforcement Only Dr Roland Kouble, Forensic Odontologist, British Association for Forensic Odontology Discussion on the use of bite mark analysis and associated techniques to understand injuries using teeth.
4:45 PM - 5:15 PM	Seeing is Believing or is it? Law Enforcement Only Nicholas Marsh, Independent Forensic Imaging Consultant, Dark View Consulting Discussion on the use of alternative light sources, forensic photography techniques to document injuries. Please note: this session will not be live streamed or recorded.
5:15 PM	Closing Remarks Day One
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM	Networking Dinner
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM	Registration and Refreshments
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM	Operation Alaska - Tiny Toes Nursery Detective Chief Inspector Charlotte Whalley, Greater Manchester Police Case-study of the investigation by Greater Manchester Police into the death of a 9-month-old child found unresponsive by staff at a nursery.
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM	Causing and Allowing the Death of a Child - Recent Legal Developments Anne Whyte, Barrister, King's Counsel, QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers	The Importance of Partnership Working, Early Engagement and Disclosure Management in Child Death Cases Karen Tonge, Specialist Crown Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM	Refreshments and Networking
11:30 AM - 12:45 PM	Operation Rileymill Detective Superintendent Melanie Pressley, Metropolitan Police Service Operation Rileymill was the investigation into the death of 8-week-old Amina Johnson. Initially treated as a Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) case, the investigation took a critical turn when the post-mortem examination revealed Amina had sustained over 26 fractures across her body. This discovery prompted a complex criminal investigation involving both parents, conducted alongside ongoing proceedings in the family court.
12:45 PM - 1:00 PM	NPCC Practice Advice on Child Death Investigaiton - Update to Forces
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM	Lunch and Networking
1:45 PM - 3:00 PM	Operation Loopflex Detective Sergeant Leanne Tully, West Midlands Police Detective Constable Stewart Garratt, West Midlands Police Case-study of the investigation by West Midlands Police following the discovery of the body of a severely malnourished boy buried in a backgarden in Birmingham.
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM	Closing Remarks Day Two