Detective Inspector James Callander, Major Crime, Police Scotland

This challenging case centred on the unexplained death of a three-month-old infant, whose body exhibited signs of decomposition at differing stages.  Join the Senior Investigating Officer to explore how the inquiry evolved from an initial classification of unknown cause, through the identification of the mechanism behind these unusual injuries, ultimately resulting in the child’s mother being charged with a homicide offence.

Professor Owen Arthurs, Professor of Radiology and Consultant Paediatric Radiologist

Professor Arthurs is a Consultant Paediatric Radiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital and is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading clinical researchers in children’s imaging.  His expertise in using imaging as part of the postmortem process for children, and the development of novel ways of less-invasive autopsy, has improved the care of children after death, and led to his contribution as an expert witness for imaging in child abuse for the UK courts

Dr Roland Kouble, Forensic Odontologist

Histological dental examination of neonatal remains can provide a highly precise method for estimating chronological age and determining if an infant was born alive.  This makes dental histology highly valuable in both forensic pathology (e.g., assessing infanticide or unexplained infant mortality) and understanding past infant life.

Dr Omer Aziz

Omer Aziz is a Paediatric Intensive Care Consultant at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, and the National Paediatric Clinical Lead for Organ Donation.  Join us to hear from Omer whose role with NHS Blood and Transplant champions and promotes the value of organ donation and seeks to increase paediatric and neonatal deceased donations in the UK.

Mr David Heming, HM Senior Coroner for Cambridgeshire & Peterborough

As a contributor to the Chief Coroner’s national guidance on organ donation Mr Heming will discuss the important balance to be struck between the opportunity for good to come from organ donation, the factors that have the potential to compromise the conclusions of the post-mortem examination and how these can impact on duties of the coroner.

Detective Inspector Howard Broadribb and Detective Sergeant Andy Panter, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary

In September 2023, the mother of a two-year-old child contacted police reporting that she had put her daughter to bed, returned an hour later to find her missing, and subsequently discovered her unresponsive in a pond in the garden. This case study examines the investigative challenges faced by officers in determining that the mother’s account was false, ultimately uncovering that her actions were caused by postpartum psychosis and a significant deterioration in her mental health.

Lisa Burke, People and Innovation Manager at Metropolitan Police Service Forensic Services

With almost 30 years working across forensic science disciplines in the Metropolitan Police Service Lisa will be joining us to talk about the development of new technology to capture bruising injuries.

T/Detective Chief Inspector Hannah Friend, Cheshire Police and Beth Colbourne, lately, Detective Constable, Cheshire Police

In 1998 a dog walker found the body of a baby boy in woodland in Warrington.  Wads of tissue paper were found in the mouth and throat of the baby and although a full DNA profile for the baby's mother was recovered checks on police databases drew a blank.  In 2023 the Cheshire Police Major Crime Review Team obtained a DNA match that led to the arrest and prosecution of the baby’s mother.  This case study explores the challenges of such complex investigations in balancing the search for answers with the need for compassion.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Brenton, Digital & Safeguarding Hubs and Mel Bisla, Digital Hub Manager, Leicestershire Police

An introduction into the bespoke new digital guidance for SUDI/C cases, which has been created in in collaboration with colleagues across policing, the Home Office, the College of Policing and OFCOM, in order to provide a high level framework to support investigators to consider digital opportunities within the increasingly complex world in which we now live.

Jon Rees, lately, Detective Chief Inspector, Dyfed Powys Police

Described by the sentencing judge Mr Justice Martin Griffiths as ‘…a horrifying case… of sustained neglect, leading to the death of a vulnerable, bedridden child at the hands of her own parents’  this case study will explore the investigation into the circumstances in which a child who, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, had enjoyed mainstream education, was neglected to the point of her death by those who should have protected her.