Mother Sentenced to 7 Years for Son's Drowning

Danielle Massey, a 31-year-old mother from County Durham, has been sentenced to seven years for the manslaughter of her seven-month-old son, Charlie Goodall, who drowned in a bath in February 2022. Prosecutors at Teesside Crown Court argued that Massey left Charlie unattended for approximately 26 minutes while she played games on her phone, though she claimed she left briefly to fetch a towel and may have fallen asleep due to an asthma attack. Despite Massey's admission of gross negligence and cannabis possession, she contested the basis of her plea, arguing the negligence was limited to using an unsuitable bath seat. The case highlighted previous concerns by social services, who had monitored Massey and Charlie but ended a protection plan six days before the incident, believing he was safe. Massey's history of neglect was noted, as her two older children had been previously removed from her care. The court rejected Massey's defense, siding with the prosecution's argument that her inattention led to the tragedy.