A teenage mother was sentenced to 5 years in prison on Wednesday, 24, 2023, after admitting the killing her 38 day-old baby son with an overdose of paracetamol.
Ellie Jacobs, 19, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Archie Jacobs at Biddlesden near Buckingham on 3rd June 2020. She also admitted child cruelty.
Jacobs, now of Moor Road, Rushden, Northants., had denied charges of murder and child cruelty at the start of her trial at Luton crown court earlier this month.
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Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff KC said: “Archie was born on April 28, 2020 and he died on 5th June when he was just five weeks.
“He died from a paracetamol overdose. Crushed up, adult paracetamol tablets were added to his bottle some time from the evening of June 4, or into the early hours of the 5th.”
Jacobs had admitted only adding a pinch of paracetamol.
When Archie’s body was examined, it was found he had two sets of fractures – one to his right tibia and four to the big toe of his right foot. They were caused three to seven days before his death.
Ms Bickerstaff said Ellie Jacobs was 16 when she gave birth to Archie and was living on the caravan site at Biddlesden. Just before his birth her partner had moved out. Archie had been placed on a Child Protection Plan.
Her mother Sarah Jacobs and stepfather lived on the site. She had supported her daughter and grandson, but she was killed in a road crash on May 10, 2020.
Ms Bickerstaff said: “Following the death of her mother, Ellie Jacobs received offers from family friends, and from family, for herself and Archie to live with them, but she declined and also declined assistance from Social Services to go and stay at a ‘mother and baby unit’ and she remained living at the caravan with Archie.“
She had regular contact with a social worker, the nurse, and the midwife but, as Archie was born during the first Covid lockdown, some of the contact was via videocall.
A social worker conducted weekly visits, despite the pandemic. She noted the caravan was clean but cluttered with a lot of animals that made the place look “busy” but there was no smell in the caravan.
The police found a diary in the caravan in which Jacobs had written, less than two weeks before Archie’s death: ”I don’t know how much longer I can keep up this act of being ok. I don’t even know what it feels like to be ok anymore. I don’t think I will ever feel that again. I mean I feel like I’ve (sic) everything, even my home which is crazy because I have a roof over my head but this place just doesn’t feel like home. I don’t know where home is anymore.
“My home was always where my mum was. As long as I had my mum I was ok.“
She went on: “I hate every single second I spend on this earth without her. It doesn’t feel real, I wish this was all a nightmare and that soon I am going to wake up with my life back with my mum by my side because I am seriously starting to struggle with everything.
“I hate myself so much because every time I look over at Archie I feel absoluteLY nothing, when he cries I just don’t care, and when Kelly my neighbour takes him off my hands for a couple of hours to give me a break, I deep down hope for that break to never end.
“I don’t know if it’s right but when I am away from Archie I don’t miss him at all I just feel a weight lifted from my shoulders. I have no clue if it’s just because I have a lot going on right now and I am struggling without my mum, or if it’s because of Jay because Archie is a reminder of Jay and all the hurt he caused me emotionally and physically!”
After Archie’s death, a baby’s bottle was examined and contained evidence that suggested six crushed tablets had been added to it.
When questioned, Jacobs said she had only added a “pinch” of paracetamol to the bottle.
Detective Chief Inspector, Will Crowther of the Major Crime Unit, said: “This is an absolutely tragic case. Baby Archie died when he was only five weeks old.
“Ellie Jacobs has admitted causing Archie’s broken leg and foot in the days prior to his death, as well as admitting that she administered the large paracetamol overdose that caused his death. This has been a long investigation that has always sought to find the truth as to what happened to Baby Archie, and I am glad that during the trial Ellie Jacobs finally accepted responsibility for her dreadful actions.
“I am hoping that the fact that Ellie Jacobs has now pleaded guilty and been sentenced, it will help the rest of Archie’s family to begin to move forward following this unbearable period for them.
“I am grateful to the witnesses in this case for their evidence, and my thanks to the investigation team who have worked tirelessly to get to the truth.
“If you ever have any concerns about the safety and wellbeing of a child, please make sure you alert the authorities, so that everything can be done to protect them from coming to any harm.”
