Mother Admits Killing Baby After Concealed Birth 25 Years Ago
A mother of a baby boy who was found dead in a woodland in 1998 expressed her feelings of “relief” at her arrest, conceding that carrying the secret of killing him had been a burden for twenty-five years. Joanne Sharkey, 55, from Liverpool, was identified in 2023 when advanced DNA analysis linked her older son to the national database.
Initially charged with murder, the charge was dropped as prosecutors accepted a plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to severe post-natal depression. In Liverpool Crown Court, it was revealed that Sharkey had concealed her pregnancy from her husband, Neil Sharkey, who remained unaware he had fathered a second child until police arrived this year.
Sharkey described her marriage at the time, stating that the couple had become like “ships in the night” due to Neil’s extensive work hours, which allowed her to mask her pregnancy with baggy clothing and limited social interaction. Following her arrest, police recorded Sharkey stating to her husband, “I’m not fing gonna deny nothing, it is what it is, isn’t it? I fing did it.”
Neil Sharkey, in a statement read by Mrs. Sharkey’s defense team, expressed feelings of guilt, saying he had “not been the best husband and father” and partially blamed himself for her not seeking help. Their son, Matthew, now 28, also spoke, recalling an “amazing childhood” due to his mother’s unwavering support. “I hope she can receive the help she needs to address the issues she has,” he stated, signaling his resolve to be by her side as she navigates this difficult path.
The infant, now known as Callum, was discovered in March of 1998 with signs of asphyxiation, as wads of tissue paper had been stuffed into his mouth and throat. Sharkey’s defense team emphasized that medical experts unanimously concluded she had been incapable of making rational decisions at the time she killed the infant due to the prevailing mental health issues.
The court was told that Sharkey experienced severe depressive symptoms that had set in after the birth of her first son, Matthew, in July 1996. Balancing a full-time job with motherhood proved too overwhelming for her, leading her mental health to deteriorate. She had previously confided in a work colleague that she had no desire to have more children after Matthew.
Despite having been diagnosed with post-natal depression, Sharkey became pregnant again in the summer of 1997 without informing her husband. Throughout her second pregnancy, she attempted to “disassociate” from the situation, with her condition leading to a degree of detachment from reality.
After giving birth alone in her bathroom, Sharkey described covering the baby’s mouth to silence his cries because she feared being discovered. His body was later concealed in two black bin bags and disposed of near Gulliver’s World theme park. The tragic discovery of Callum’s remains came when a retiree noticed the bags while walking his dog. It was confirmed that this baby was a full-term infant, with pathologists unable to ascertain whether he was alive when the tissues were found in his throat.
Investigators initiated an extensive inquiry, conducting house-to-house interviews, collecting DNA samples, and arresting several women named by their families as potential suspects. However, all were eliminated as suspects after DNA comparisons.
The investigation remained cold until recent developments facilitated by a routine re-evaluation of national DNA records. Detectives discovered a familial link between Callum’s DNA and that of Matthew Sharkey, who had been added to the database following his unrelated arrest. This breakthrough allowed police to apprehend Sharkey and her husband in July 2023.
Since her confession, Sharkey’s legal representatives have urged for leniency, arguing that her severe mental health condition played a significant role in the tragic outcome, and requesting that any prison time be withheld. Her defense attorney stated that Sharkey had faced her actions with “genuine remorse” and had spent years grappling with immense guilt following the incident, suggesting that she would benefit from community support rather than incarceration.
The sentencing has been delayed as Judge Mrs. Justice Eady expressed the need for adequate reflection upon the complex emotional and legal factors of the case, highlighting the necessity of arriving at a just conclusion.
As the case continues, the family stands by Sharkey. With her husband’s acknowledgment of their past relationship dynamics and their son supporting her rehabilitation, Sharkey’s journey addresses deep struggles within maternal mental health, public stigma, and justice’s response to tragic circumstances.
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