Teenage mother admits killing her 38-day-old son with paracetamol overdose after her own mother was killed by speeding boyfriend in car crash
- Tragic case was heard at Luton Crown Court today and saw Ellie Jacobs’ pleas
- She wrote in her diary: ‘I hate myself so much because every time I look over at Archie I feel absolute nothing, when he cries I just don’t care’
A teenage mother today admitted killing her 38 day-old baby son with an overdose of paracetamol.
Ellie Jacobs, 19, had denied murder and cruelty towards Archie Jacobs at Biddlesden near Buckingham when he died in June, 2020.
But at Luton Crown Court today the jury was told that Jacobs, now of Rushden, Northants, has now admitted manslaughter and child cruelty.
Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff KC said the plea was acceptable to the prosecution.
At the opening of the case, Ms Bickerstaff said: ‘Archie was born on April 28, 2020, and he died on June 5 when he was just 5 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.’
She said Jacobs had admitted only adding a pinch of paracetamol.
Ellie Jacobs, 19, (right) was struggling with Archie after the death of her mother Sarah (left)
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 3 to 7 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 and 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.
Christopher Mattin, 34, was Sarah’s partner and was jailed for 10-and-a-half years in 2022 after losing control of their car.
The 91mph motor crashed into a tree, killing Sarah, on a 30mph road.
Christopher Mattin, 34, was Sarah’s partner and was jailed for 10-and-a-half years in 2022 after losing control of their car
In her daughter’s case today the judge, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker KC, discharged the jury. He told them: ‘In this case Ellie Jacobs has decided she would accept her guilt of being responsible for death and causing fracture.
She accepts she was responsible for death of her son by giving him an overdose of paracetamol.
‘She does not accept she intended to kill her son or intended to cause him really serious bodily harm.
‘The prosecution has decided it’s not in the public interest to proceed in a trial of murder.’
Jacobs is due to be sentenced on May 24, when reports on her have been prepared. She was remanded in custody.
Ms Bickerstaff KC 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 absolute 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 6 crushed tablets had been added to it.
When questioned Jacobs said she had only added a ‘pinch’ of paracetamol to the bottle.
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