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Fresh for everyone. Who.

2:24

Are. for

2:41

that sounds like my neighbors and think that

2:44

that hit in the back but that the

2:46

to testing them as the said noise over

2:48

the last sixteen when it has departed and

2:50

it felt about it was a wild and

2:52

a box of. So.

3:01

It which is a historic time located in

3:03

the which he has been district to Fluster

3:05

England. The. Toilets are

3:08

known for its prime boss which have

3:10

been attracting visitors. For centuries. Nice

3:13

fall step back to the Roman times.

3:15

Detroit, which also has a long history.

3:17

Of salt production. Running

3:20

through the time is a canal

3:22

network which played a crucial role

3:24

in the transportation assault and other

3:26

goods during the times industrial heyday.

3:29

He's. Eventually fell into disuse.

3:31

But in recent years they've been restored.

3:35

The. Center of Toy which features a

3:37

makes his historic and modern architecture.

3:39

Including the sixteenth century seen under

3:41

his church and the chance to

3:44

Anthony. On. The outskirts

3:46

of the time lies machine drives.

3:48

A residential neighborhood comprising of

3:50

semi detached new build homes.

3:53

However, amidst the tranquility of daily

3:55

life, the specter of the cool

3:58

that nineteen pandemic cast Apollo. over

4:00

Droitwich, as it did the world

4:02

over. Streets once

4:04

bustling with activity now lay silent

4:06

and deserted, as residents

4:08

adhere diligently to public health guidelines.

4:12

As the grip of the

4:14

pandemic began to loosen in

4:16

February of 2021, Droitwich found

4:18

itself thrust unexpectedly into the

4:20

spotlight. A phone

4:22

call to the police on the 18th of February

4:25

2021 shattered the times

4:27

piece. 9-year-old

5:00

Alfie Steele hadn't had the best start in his

5:02

life. His mother, Carla

5:04

Scott, had given birth to him on the

5:06

living room floor of her home in Wolverhampton.

5:10

The relationship between Scott and Alfie's

5:12

father wasn't a last, after

5:14

there were allegations of abuse, so

5:17

Scott took on the role of a single mother.

5:21

Left to navigate those challenges, Scott's

5:23

priorities seemed misplaced, opting

5:26

to indulge in games of strip poker with

5:28

neighbours, rather than attending to

5:30

Alfie's needs. Consequently,

5:33

Alfie found himself fending for himself,

5:35

neglected an adrift in his own

5:37

home. Observant neighbours

5:39

who were alarmed by him wandering through the

5:42

streets alone, extended their care

5:44

and compassion towards him. One

5:47

of them, Julie Peacock, recalled, Alfie

5:50

would often come round to play, and really

5:52

was the most polite and lovely little boy.

5:55

There were a group of us on the estate who

5:57

just felt sorry about how neglected he always was. because

6:00

he was always wandering round the streets outside

6:02

his house, we used to take him

6:04

in and give him his meals. Occasionally

6:07

Scott would whisk Alfie away to the local

6:09

working men's club. Here

6:11

she guzzled down pints of beer while

6:14

Alfie was left to entertain himself. Julie

6:18

recollected. She was always

6:20

dressed in short skirts and boots with tight

6:22

tops on. She wasn't slim

6:24

but she liked the attention. In

6:27

fact, of anything, she seemed to crave

6:29

attention. When I went to

6:31

her house I used to tell her she needed to tidy

6:33

the place up and clean because it was

6:35

so dirty but nothing ever changed. It

6:38

was one of those houses where you felt like wiping

6:40

your feet as you came out rather than as you

6:42

went in. The home was

6:44

in such a bad condition that social workers paid

6:46

Scott a visit and they put

6:49

Alfie under a child protection plan for neglect. Then

6:52

in November 2018, Carla Scott made

6:54

the decision to seek a fresh

6:56

start, uprooting herself and

6:59

Alfie from Wolverhampton to Droitwich.

7:03

However, their journey to stability was fraught

7:05

with challenges as they grappled

7:07

with homelessness before eventually finding solace in

7:09

a council home. Amidst

7:12

the turbulence of Alfie's life, one

7:14

unwavering beacon of stability remained, his

7:17

grandfather, Paul Scott. Although

7:20

Paul acknowledged his past as a stern

7:22

parent to Alfie's mother and her siblings,

7:25

he had since maulued, showering Alfie

7:27

with unwavering love and pride in every

7:29

milestone that he achieved. From

7:33

his first steps and words to the good great in

7:35

his report cards, Alfie's

7:37

journey was marked by Paul's

7:39

steadfast support and admiration. Despite

7:42

grappling with developmental hurdles and

7:44

learning difficulties, Alfie was said to

7:46

be a smart little boy with an infectious

7:49

smile and a boundless curiosity.

7:52

Paul firmly said of his grandson, he

7:54

had a smile that would melt butter,

7:57

he was intelligent and inquisitive and was a man of great

7:59

pleasure. courageous like a lion. He

8:02

was a good Christian boy who was full of God.

8:05

Alfie embodied a fearless spirit, eagerly

8:08

embracing new experiences without hesitation.

8:12

His passion spanned the spectrum, from

8:14

his love for Worcester Warriors rugby

8:17

to watching the Arsenal play in London with his grandfather.

8:20

Alfie even became a

8:22

member of the boys brigade and had

8:24

a close group of friends at Witten Middle School

8:27

in Droitwich. Even

8:30

though his life up until this point had been

8:32

difficult, Alfie was taking

8:34

everything in his stride. In

8:41

2019, Carlos Scott crossed paths with

8:43

a 41-year-old man named Dark Howell.

8:47

Howell had been forthcoming about his checkered

8:49

past, and he disclosed his

8:51

prior run-ins with police to Scott. Naturally,

8:54

this revelation stirred apprehension within

8:56

her, so she took action

8:58

by initiating a request through the

9:01

domestic violence disclosure scheme, also

9:03

known as Claire's Law. This

9:06

mechanism serves to furnish individuals with

9:08

insights into their partner's history of

9:11

domestic violence. But the

9:13

inquiry yielded no incriminating findings,

9:15

so Scott felt comfortable continuing

9:17

in her relationship with Howell.

9:20

Within a mere six months, Howell was living

9:22

with Scott and her son Alfie in their

9:24

home. While he may

9:26

not have had a history of domestic violence, he

9:29

did have an extensive criminal record. Filling

9:33

from Wilver-Hampton, his upbringing was

9:35

marred by instability, eventually culminating

9:37

in his placement in defoster

9:39

care. Filled by

9:41

adverse circumstances, Howell treaded a path

9:43

that was rife with criminality, which

9:46

saw him in and out of prison. Between

9:48

the years of 1994 and 2021, he had racked up 32 convictions for 95 offences, and

9:56

had spent about 22 years out of his 41 years

9:59

behind bars. His

10:01

convictions included battery, criminal

10:03

damage, theft, burglary, public

10:05

order, drug offenses and

10:07

weapon offenses. Nevertheless,

10:11

it appeared that Howell had stumbled

10:13

upon a newfound sense of familial

10:15

belonging through his relationship with

10:17

Carla Scott and her son Alfie. The

10:21

trouble was just around the corner. Just

10:31

after 2.20pm on the 18th of February

10:33

2021, Carla Scott called 999. The

11:00

999 operator walked her through CPR. PC

11:13

Stacey Hagenbath and Paul C. Paul Pickering were the

11:15

first to

11:17

arrive at the scene.

11:32

The atmosphere was heavy with tension, a

11:35

stark contrast of the usual calmness of the

11:37

home. The two officers

11:39

walked through the tidy hallway and up the

11:42

stairs. They were

11:44

taken aback by the juxtaposition of the

11:46

downstairs and upstairs of the home. Downstairs,

11:49

the atmosphere exuded an air

11:51

of pristine orderliness, reminiscent

11:54

of a show home. Every

11:56

detail was meticulously arranged, from

11:59

the carefully curated, decorated decor to the

12:01

gleaming surfaces that reflected in the soft

12:03

glow of the overhead lights. But

12:06

as they extended the staircase, a

12:09

stark transformation unfolded before their eyes.

12:13

Christine Facadevedon's stairs gave way

12:15

to an altogether different scene.

12:18

Upstairs clutter strewn haphazardly across

12:20

the floor and an unmistakable

12:22

air of neglect hung heavy

12:24

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officers were then taken into a child's

15:05

bedroom. It was

15:07

decorated with a stained mattress and no

15:09

bedding or bed frame, a dirty and

15:11

sticky floor, and a broken wardrobe. It

15:14

was sunny outside, but the dark curtains were

15:16

drawn closed, and the room was pitch black

15:18

other than for the light which had been

15:20

switched on. But the officer's

15:23

attention quickly zeroed in on the figure of

15:25

a boy lying lifeless on the

15:27

floor. It was

15:29

nine-year-old Alfie Steele. They

15:31

rushed to his side and knelt down. Their

15:34

gloved hands reached out to assess his

15:36

condition, but as their hands made

15:38

contact with Alfie's face, they found that

15:40

he was freezing cold. They

15:43

observed some lumps and bruises to his face,

15:46

some of which looked older than the others. There

15:49

were also some scratches to the side of his

15:51

voice that looked quite old. The

15:53

officers exchanged a quick knowing glance at

15:56

one another. PC Pickering

15:58

continued doing chess compressing. on

16:00

Alfie as they waited for the

16:02

paramedics, but the scene was

16:04

too much for P.C. Hegenbarth. She

16:07

needed to go outside and compose herself for

16:10

a couple of moments before she came back

16:12

inside. While paramedics desperately

16:14

tried to bring Alfie back to life,

16:17

the officer spoke with Carla Scott, who

16:19

was the only other person inside the home. She

16:23

said that Alfie loved to have a bath and

16:25

made a nuisance of himself that day by asking

16:27

to have one. She

16:29

said she filled up the tub and tested

16:31

the temperature with her elbow, adjusting it with

16:34

running hot and cold water until it was just

16:36

right. She said

16:38

she then went downstairs to do some cleaning

16:41

before realising that some time had

16:43

elapsed and she had seen her

16:45

son. Scott said that she went into

16:48

the bathroom and found Alfie submerged in

16:50

the water. She told

16:52

the officers that she had lifted her

16:54

son out before mentioning that Alfie had

16:56

previously hit his head. She

16:59

wondered if this had something to do with what

17:01

had happened. The

17:03

paramedics continued CPR on Alfie, with

17:06

one paramedic, Darren Fletcher, recalling,

17:09

I was very aware that Alfie's face didn't look

17:11

normal to me, in the colour of

17:13

his face, post-mortem staining.

17:16

It looked similar to that in his forehead. With

17:19

each compression, the paramedics were met with

17:22

nothing. Alfie was

17:24

completely lifeless. Scott

17:27

was asked by the officers how long it

17:29

had been since she found him on responses.

17:50

Recognising the severity of Alfie's condition, the

17:52

decision was made to airlift him to

17:54

the to

18:00

Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital for urgent

18:02

medical attention. On

18:05

route, medical professionals administered electric shocks

18:07

using a defibrillator in a desperate

18:09

attempt to revive him. But

18:12

Alfie never regained consciousness.

18:20

Despite the best efforts of medical professionals,

18:23

Alfie was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived

18:26

at the hospital. His

18:28

body was then transported to the

18:30

medical examiner's office for a thorough

18:32

examination. There, the

18:35

pathologist made a troubling discovery.

18:37

Alfie had at least 50

18:40

injuries, each varying in age

18:42

and severity. When

18:44

he had been discovered by the paramedics, his

18:47

body had a core temperature of just 23

18:49

degrees. This

18:52

indicated to the pathologist that Alfie had either

18:54

been immersed in cold water or

18:56

had been dead for some time before

18:58

police and paramedics arrived at the home.

19:02

The autopsy continued but during the

19:04

examination, the pathologist encountered

19:06

an obstacle. He

19:09

couldn't figure out exactly how Alfie had

19:11

died. However, it

19:13

was evident that he hadn't succumbed to natural

19:16

causes. His body

19:18

displayed an array of bruises and

19:20

indications of oxygen deprivation. Some

19:24

of the bruises appeared to be defensive in

19:26

nature, as if Alfie had been

19:28

trying to protect himself from somebody hitting him. The

19:32

pathologist ultimately determined that Alfie's cause

19:35

of death was unassertioned,

19:38

leaving detectives grappling with a puzzle.

19:42

Suspicion fell upon those closest to

19:44

Alfie, his mother, Carla

19:46

Scott, and her boyfriend, Dark Hoyle.

19:50

It wouldn't be long before some disturbing

19:52

information came to light. Information

19:55

that would show that Alfie had

19:57

been living in a house of horrors. The

20:03

quietness of the neighborhood where Alfie had

20:06

lived was often shattered by the sound

20:08

of raised voices echoing throughout the street.

20:12

Almost each week a different neighbor would hear the

20:14

sounds and curiously take a

20:16

glance outside of their window. Whenever

20:19

they did, they saw a scene that filled

20:21

them with concern and unease. It

20:24

was always Alfie, either being screamed

20:27

at by Howell or being forced to

20:29

stand outside in the dark alone. Carla

20:33

Scott and Dark Howell had met back

20:35

in 2019, two years

20:37

after she had separated from Alfie's father.

20:41

The relationship progressed quickly and

20:43

within just months Howell had moved in with

20:45

Alfie and Scott. But

20:48

this relationship wasn't a good thing for

20:50

young Alfie because Howell was

20:52

somebody who believed in strict discipline for

20:55

children. While Howell,

20:57

deemed as discipline, however, transcended

20:59

the boundaries of acceptability, manifesting

21:02

as a harrowing blend of

21:05

physical and psychological torment. Alfie

21:08

endured a number of abuses that

21:10

escalated in severity over time. Initially

21:14

he was subjected to prolonged periods of grounding,

21:17

forced to maintain a stationary position for

21:19

hours on end and coerced

21:22

into performing household chores. Food,

21:25

which was once a basic necessity, morphed into

21:27

a tool of control, with

21:30

Alfie denied sustenance and less permitted.

21:34

However the abuse swiftly escalated into

21:36

physical violence, with Alfie

21:38

enduring brutal beatings inflicted by a belt

21:40

and a slider alongside being

21:43

confined to the backyard. Alfie

21:46

also endured being submerged in freezing cold water

21:48

and having icy water thrown

21:50

over him as he stood outside. Scott

21:53

and Howell didn't seem too fazed about who saw

21:55

what was going on at the home. in

22:00

1919, Michaela Hardwick, who lived behind their

22:03

home, was at home one

22:05

evening when she heard a commotion coming from

22:07

outside. This incident occurred

22:09

just a month after Howell had moved

22:11

in with Scott and Alfie. Peering

22:14

out of her window, Michaela spotted Alfie,

22:16

alone and vigorously banging on the garden

22:18

gate, while crying and pleading to be

22:21

let back inside. She

22:24

grabbed her mobile phone and documented the

22:26

scene as it unfolded. The

22:52

ordeal persisted for around twenty minutes

22:54

until Howell finally emerged. He

22:58

unlatched the garden gate and tossed some

23:00

clothing at Alfie. Michaela

23:02

watched on in horror as Howell

23:04

then forcefully pushed Alfie to the

23:06

ground before allowing him back

23:08

into the home. Another

23:10

neighbour, Rosemary Willets, bore witness to

23:13

an equally distressing event. While

23:16

she was hanging out her washing one day, she

23:19

was startled by the sound of a child screaming.

23:23

Casting a glance towards her neighbour's home,

23:26

she observed Scott and Howell escorting Alfie

23:28

through a side gate and into the

23:30

garden. They then

23:32

shut the gate behind him and

23:34

retreated indoors, leaving

23:37

Alfie isolated in the garden alone.

23:40

Concerned Rosemary retreated into her home

23:42

and went upstairs to get a

23:44

clearer view. From her

23:46

vantage point, she witnessed Alfie on his knees,

23:48

sobbing to the point where he struggled to

23:50

catch his breath. Desperate,

23:53

he then rose to his feet, pointed on

23:55

the door and shouted, I'm

23:58

sorry, please let me in. At

24:00

some point, Howl emerged at the window

24:02

and informed Alfie that his real dad

24:04

would be arriving the following day. This

24:07

was clearly a threat, as Alfie

24:10

was scared of his biological father, just like

24:12

he was scared of Howl. Rosemary

24:15

recounted that the ordeal lasted for around

24:17

an hour. However,

24:20

just a couple of weeks later, another

24:22

troubling incident unfolded at the family's home.

24:25

Rosemary's husband, Graham, witnessed Howl forcing

24:27

Alfie outside, clad in only his

24:30

boxers. Standing rigidly,

24:32

as if on a parade, Alfie

24:34

was left under Howl's command while

24:36

he retreated indoors. Graham

24:39

observed Howl and Scott peering out of the

24:41

window, seemingly making sure that

24:44

Alfie was complying with their demands. Concerned

24:47

for Alfie's welfare, Graham quickly contacted

24:49

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started today. Afterwards

27:29

the family was placed on a child in need

27:31

plan which escalated to the more

27:34

serious non-voluntary child protection plan in October

27:36

of 2019. At the same time, Howell

27:38

came under investigation

27:41

for the burglary of an elderly

27:43

man during which firearms were

27:45

stolen. Despite these

27:48

circumstances, Scott maintained that her boyfriend

27:50

posed no risk to her son.

27:53

Nevertheless, Scott was then informed that

27:55

Howell could not have any unsupervised

27:57

contact with Alfie or stay over

27:59

an hour. at their home. Though

28:02

initially in agreement, Scott defiantly refused

28:04

to adhere to these directives, and

28:06

she allowed Howell to continue living

28:08

with her in Alfie against official

28:11

advice. During a

28:13

visit by a social worker that was conducted

28:15

during a time when Howell was present at

28:17

the home, the situation took

28:19

a troubling turn. Overhearing

28:22

an altercation between Howell and Scott,

28:25

the social worker listened as Howell

28:28

posed an ultimatum. He asked

28:30

her who she would pick over him or her

28:33

own son. Scott said that

28:35

she would put her son first, which

28:37

resulted in Howell telling her the

28:39

relationship was over. But

28:41

it wasn't. Howell continued

28:44

to defy the orders and stay at the

28:46

home with Scott and Alfie, terrorising

28:48

Alfie every chance that he got.

28:51

Despite the involvement of child protective services

28:54

and even police, the abuse

28:56

of Alfie persisted unabated.

28:59

And more people soon became aware of

29:02

Alfie's plight. Anita

29:04

Nicholson, who'd been a teacher

29:06

at Alfie's school, recounted a

29:08

disturbing incident from early 2020.

29:11

She remembered encountering Alfie standing outside

29:14

the health centre in Tarn, with

29:16

Howell aggressively confronting him, shouting in

29:18

his face and gesturing in a

29:20

threatening manner. Alfie appeared

29:23

immobilised, like a little mannequin,

29:25

frozen in place as the confrontation

29:28

unfolded. Shortly

29:30

thereafter, Scott emerged from the building,

29:33

yet she made no effort to intervene or

29:35

protect her son. Instead,

29:37

she simply passed by Alfie and Howell,

29:40

with the latter trailing closely behind her.

29:43

Anita was so shaken by what she had

29:45

witnessed that she quickly reported the incident to

29:47

school authorities. Subsequently,

29:50

the police were summoned and PC

29:52

warned Edmunds found Howell, Alfie and

29:54

Scott outside of his backsavers. Howell

29:57

was evidently drunk. He

30:00

refused to give his identity and

30:03

eventually provided a false name, claiming to be called

30:19

Michael Jones. Despite

30:22

police intervention, nothing ever came of this

30:25

and Alfie was forced to face the abuse

30:27

alone. It

30:36

was close to 5.31am on

30:38

the 4th of April 2020

30:41

when Daniel Grinrods was awoken by a loud

30:43

sound coming from the house next to him.

30:46

Banging and crashing could be heard reverberating

30:48

through the thin walls, punctuated

30:50

by the sound of a child whimpering.

30:53

Intertwined with these distressing sounds, a man's voice

30:56

could be heard booming and he

30:58

sounded angry. Daniel

31:00

wasted no time in calling 999 and

31:03

detailing what he had just heard to the operator.

31:14

You see Shannon Murphy responded to the phone

31:16

call and knocked on Carla Scott's

31:18

front door. When

31:20

she opened up she seemed surprised to see the

31:22

police officer. She

31:25

said that a report had come from one of

31:27

their neighbours and asked to see Alfie. Scott

31:30

said that he was asleep and that it was only

31:32

her and him in the home. PC

31:34

Murphy may have concluded her investigation.

31:38

PC Murphy simply left the home. While

31:41

she may have concluded her investigation

31:43

without actually investigating, just

31:45

the following months Scott's deceit

31:48

was exposed. On

31:50

the night of the 4th May 2020, another

31:52

neighbour called police to report Alfie standing

31:54

out in the back garden. PC

32:00

Robert, Seawoosaha promptly arrived at

32:02

the scene and observed a

32:05

male figure briefly

32:15

appearing at an upstairs window before

32:17

vanishing from view. Scott

32:19

greeted the officer at the front door and falsely

32:22

claimed that it was only her and

32:24

Alfie inside the home. However PC

32:27

Seawoosaha confronted her with this

32:29

observation, prompting Scott

32:31

to reluctantly fetch Hyle from where he

32:33

was hiding upstairs. Upon

32:36

confronting Howell, the officer

32:38

instructed him to leave the

32:40

premises immediately. Before leaving, the officer

32:42

checked in on Alfie who was found asleep

32:44

in his bed. Scott

32:47

was sternly warned, you have been

32:50

told he isn't to come here, speaking

32:52

about Howell. Despite

32:55

the police intervention, Howell's persistence

32:57

in defying orders and staying away

33:00

only continued, leaving Alfie's

33:02

safety compromised. Then

33:05

on 3rd August, Gemma all caught

33:07

their next door neighbour, was disturbed

33:09

by alarming noises coming from the

33:11

family's home. She

33:13

immediately called 999. and

33:42

the bloke is who? I think

33:44

it is Dean. Okay,

33:47

so how long has it been going on for today? I just

33:50

heard a noise over the last 15 minutes.

33:53

I heard lots of banging, and it sounded like someone

33:55

crashing around in the back of went into the toy

33:58

there, and it sounds like you can hear that

34:00

he's being hit and held under the water

34:02

or something and that looks especially round. It's

34:06

concerning because I know they have got social services

34:08

involvement as well and the police have been before

34:10

a few times. Okay.

34:19

Do you

34:23

say social services are involved? They

34:26

are, yes. In

34:29

response to Gemma's concern, Sergeant Samantha

34:32

Bennett arrived at the scene. However,

34:35

Scott once more claimed that Howell

34:37

wasn't present and the officer

34:39

simply left. But

34:42

shortly thereafter, Scott appeared at Gemma's front

34:44

door. She was

34:46

barefoot but Gemma refused to open up

34:48

the door. Howell

34:51

could be heard on her ring doorbell threatening to

34:53

burn down their house for calling police.

34:57

You took a few hours to

34:59

get out of the way. Gemma

35:02

called the police back. But as

35:05

had become a common thread in Alfie's

35:07

sad life, nothing ever came of

35:09

the phone call. Alfie's

35:17

neighbours weren't the only ones to notice that

35:19

something was seriously amiss with him. The

35:23

teachers at his school had also been

35:25

concerned about his welfare. Each

35:27

morning, Alfie's arrival at school was marked

35:30

by the telltale signs of neglect. Dirty,

35:33

smelly clothing that spoke volumes of

35:35

his home life. But

35:37

it was a particular incident on the 1st of October 2020

35:40

that raised the alarm among the school staff. Alfie

35:46

approached Louise McNally, the safeguarding and welfare

35:48

lead at the school, and said that

35:50

his ear was sore. He

35:53

told Louise that he had an oxygen the

35:55

night before and had wet or soiled himself

35:57

in bed due to the excruciating pain. in

36:00

his ear. Louise escorted

36:02

Alfie to the first aid bay, where

36:04

a nurse examined his ear. Upon

36:07

inspection she found blood and pus, and

36:10

she asked Alfie what had happened. Alfie

36:14

said that he didn't know, but the

36:16

injury looked serious. It

36:18

wasn't the kind of injury

36:20

that could happen accidentally. The

36:22

school called up Scott and asked her to come

36:24

and collect him and take him to the doctors. But

36:28

after calling his mother, Alfie

36:30

became upset. He

36:33

told Louise that he didn't want to go home,

36:35

that he wanted to stay at school. This

36:38

sudden revelation piqued Louise's

36:40

suspicions, which had already

36:42

been raised by Alfie's other odd

36:44

behaviours. Each

36:46

morning, like clockwork, Alfie frequented the

36:49

school's pastoral support unit and asked

36:51

for some toast. His

36:54

perpetually rumbling stomach and dishevelled appearance

36:56

painted a concerning picture for Louise

36:58

and some other members of the staff.

37:02

Calprotective Services recalled, and in

37:04

October of that year the

37:06

family were paid a visit

37:08

by social worker Hailey Walton.

37:10

Hailey checked in the cupboards at the home to make

37:12

sure there was food, something which

37:14

made Scott angry. She

37:16

was advised by the social worker to either

37:18

give Alfie a bigger breakfast or

37:21

send him to school with extra snacks.

37:24

After Hailey left, Scott called her up

37:26

and said that Alfie had never asked

37:28

for more food at school and instead

37:30

accused the dinner lady of offering him

37:32

it. She described

37:34

Alfie as the kind of child that ate everything

37:37

in sight and Hailey told her that if that

37:39

were the case, he needed to be

37:41

seen by a doctor. But

37:43

on the 18th of December 2020, the

37:46

school intervened by giving Alfie a

37:48

fresh uniform. He

37:50

had arrived to school that morning in

37:52

a uniform that smelled particularly pungent, and

37:55

staff worried about his welfare. As

37:58

the Christmas holidays approached, News

38:00

of an impending lockdown cast a shadow

38:02

over the festive season. The

38:05

restrictions came into force just a day before

38:07

Alfie was due to return to school. Despite

38:10

the lockdown, Alfie, being on

38:13

a safeguarding plan, was permitted to attend

38:15

school. However, he

38:17

failed to make an appearance. When

38:20

questioned by the social workers, Scott

38:22

said that Alfie had severe asthma,

38:24

which is why he wasn't in

38:26

school. So Alfie

38:28

found himself isolated from the outside world,

38:31

his days blending into nights as the

38:34

confinement of lockdown engulfed him. His

38:37

life outside of the family home became

38:39

a distant memory, visible only

38:41

through fleeting glimpses granted that the

38:43

family's concerned neighbours. Despite

38:46

their mounting concerns, the neighbours'

38:49

apprehensions went unheeded, and

38:51

Alfie remained hidden from view. His

38:54

grandfather, Paul, and his wife, Alina,

38:57

occasionally saw him during face-time

38:59

calls, albeit through dim

39:01

lighting. On some

39:03

occasions, they noticed fresh bruises adorning

39:05

Alfie's face. Scott,

39:08

however, consistently brushed off

39:10

these injuries with excuses, claiming

39:13

that Alfie had sustained them while playing

39:15

or falling off his bicycle. As

39:18

lockdown restrictions began to ease, Paul

39:20

and Alina proposed the idea of Alfie

39:22

spending a sleepover at their place. But

39:25

when that weekend rolled around, Scott

39:28

said that Alfie was grounded so he couldn't

39:30

come. After

39:36

Alfie was discovered unresponsive at home,

39:39

the officers asked Carlos Scott where Dark

39:41

Howl was. They

39:43

knew that he had often defied orders and stayed

39:45

overnight at her place. According

39:48

to Scott, Howl hadn't been there for a couple

39:50

of days, and he certainly wasn't

39:52

there when she found her son in the bathtub.

39:56

However, detectives quickly unravelled the

39:58

truth. Just

40:00

six minutes after Scott called 999,

40:03

a police officer spotted Howell in a

40:05

nearby street. It

40:08

prompted detectives to strongly believe that Howell

40:10

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40:12

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40:14

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42:00

footage from the vicinity. The footage

42:02

showed him leaving the neighborhood the family

42:05

lived in and heading

42:07

towards the Droitwich railway station. He

42:10

was captured on camera exhibiting signs

42:12

of agitation. He

42:14

sprinted towards stationary trains and attempted to

42:16

force open a courage door with his

42:18

bare hands. But

42:21

by the time he was there police were already

42:23

on his trail. As

42:25

he desperately tried to claw open one of the

42:27

train doors. He was arrested. So

42:57

at the moment you're under arrest

43:00

on suspicion of attempted murder. Okay

43:03

so you do not have to say anything but it may

43:05

harm your defense. As

43:16

for Carla Scott she was arrested

43:18

at home. As the

43:20

news of Alfie's tragic death spread rapidly through

43:22

the media his family took a moment

43:25

to honor him. Paul

43:27

his grandfather expressed his profound

43:29

sorrow emphasizing that Alfie

43:31

would forever remain in their hearts. He

43:35

also extended gratitude to everyone involved in

43:37

the investigation acknowledging their

43:40

professionalism and appreciated the

43:42

respectful approach by the media allowing

43:45

his family space to mourn. The

43:49

community rallied around the family offering

43:51

their support in various ways but

43:53

they needed to adhere to COVID guidelines.

43:57

Many chose to honor Alfie's memory by displaying

43:59

blue tanned. The bears and drawings in

44:01

their windows. Me Mile

44:03

at the police station. Scored and

44:06

Howell underwent separate interviews. Detectives.

44:09

Have uncovered evidence of the abuse inflicted

44:11

upon. I'll say. Revealing. Scarred

44:14

to be just as cruel as Howell. According

44:16

to reports, As.

44:18

Always mother, she bore the responsibility

44:21

of safeguarding him. Yet

44:23

it became evident that she allowed Howell

44:25

to exercise. Unchecked authority on

44:27

her son. Initially,

44:30

When questioned, she stuck to the

44:32

same story. She

44:34

said that Howell hadn't been at the home.

44:36

When she find her son on responses. I

44:40

ever. in a subsequent interviewed her point

44:42

shifted. She. Admitted that

44:44

Howell. Had been there. A

44:47

she was becoming more open. detectives

44:49

anticipated a confession. A

44:52

wondered whether Alfie had been subject to a

44:54

beating. Or whether he'd been

44:56

forcibly submerged in the water. But

44:59

instead Scott said she simply find him

45:01

underneath. The water on responses.

45:05

To. Confess to detectives that are Initial

45:08

statement regarding how his presence was

45:10

a fabrication. Born I'd have panic. To.

45:14

Spider denial detect a sorority aware that

45:16

both she and How Will have resorted

45:18

to physical discipline on Aussi in the

45:20

past. Five.

45:22

Or Scots narrative then underwent

45:24

another alteration. According

45:26

to a revised point, five days

45:28

before Alfie staff, she phoned him

45:30

in the living. Room with tears.

45:33

Without. Sounding before him, grasping

45:35

about. How claimed

45:37

that he was merely adjusting the bell. That.

45:40

Alfie Silence in response to your

45:42

inquiry three his suspicions. How

45:45

claimed that he was merely adjusting the bell.

45:48

The. When Scott asked her some what had

45:50

happened. He. Just stood there in

45:52

silence. Sculptural. Detectives

45:54

that she was scared that Howell would

45:56

use the belt on herself. So

45:58

she refrained from asking any more

46:01

questions. After sharing

46:03

this information, Scott. Opted to

46:05

com up. And. She refused to

46:07

answer. Any more questions. And

46:10

the other interrogation room. How. Will

46:13

kinda steadfast silencer I'd his

46:15

interrogation. The only thing

46:17

he said was that he was innocent. On

46:24

the twelfth of January, Carla Scott and Dark How

46:26

Old were charged with the murder of I'll See.

46:30

The. Were also charged with child cruelty and

46:32

this damn from the abuse that Alfie at

46:34

injured before he was finally killed. The.

46:37

Both pleaded not guilty to the murder charge

46:39

and causing are annoying the death of a

46:41

child. However, How admitted to

46:43

causing. Cruelty to a person under sixteen.

46:46

While. Scott denied the charge. They.

46:49

Were order to stand trial. And

46:51

during a pretrial hearing. So annoyed

46:53

burst. He. Was appearing

46:56

via videolink and there have been some

46:58

difficulties with the seat. He

47:00

showed it. This. Is ridiculous.

47:03

I can't hear you. On

47:05

a supposed to a court she is and it's like

47:07

this. From. Start to finish. The

47:09

behavior of this court has been disgusting. The

47:12

murder trial began in Coventry Concord on the

47:15

sack and of May two thousand and twenty

47:17

three. Gotten

47:19

Howell took their respective places alongside

47:22

their defense attorneys. As opening statements

47:24

began, Prosecutor

47:26

Michelle Healy said the jury the both

47:29

defendants thought it was acceptable to hit

47:31

Alfie with belts, flip flops, and use

47:33

all their harsher forms of punishment. The

47:36

prosecutor went on to describe some of the abuse that

47:38

I'll be had. Endured before telling the

47:41

jury. I'll be

47:43

Died as a result of the deliberate and

47:45

unlawful options of Carla. Scoffed and dark.

47:47

Howell. And together they are

47:49

guilty of his murder. She

47:52

said that it was the prosecution theory that Alfie

47:54

have been beaten. And then deliberately put

47:57

in the cold bath where he died. She

48:00

stated, Alvi had not

48:02

simply fallen asleep in a comfortable bath. He

48:05

had been deliberately and repeatedly assaulted, beaten

48:08

and put into it and held under

48:10

a cold bath as punishment. She

48:13

said that this was a punishment that had

48:15

been carried out by both Scott and Howell

48:17

in the past, referencing the phone call from

48:19

Gemma where she reported hearing a child thrashing

48:22

in the water. According

48:24

to the prosecution, Scott had stood by and

48:26

allowed Howell to do whatever he wanted to

48:28

her son. She

48:30

highlighted the fact that even after Alvi

48:32

was dead, she had tried to protect

48:34

Howell by saying he hadn't been at

48:36

the home. The testimony got underway

48:39

immediately with the first responders describing

48:41

the scene at Vashon Drive. PC

48:44

Paul Pickering said that Carla Scott was alone

48:46

at the home other than Alvi. He

48:49

described her as being in distress and in a state

48:51

of panic. The

48:54

officer said of Alvi. There

48:56

was no sign of life whatsoever. His

48:59

body was cold to the touch. It

49:01

was pale. There was no sort

49:03

of colour or pigmentation. The

49:06

officers described how Scott became more

49:09

anxious when more officers arrived at

49:11

the scene. She began

49:13

to ramble about how Alvi had pneumonia when he

49:15

was younger and may have

49:17

had grommets that would make him lose his

49:19

balance. It

49:21

was as if she was trying to find

49:23

excuses to explain why a healthy nine-year-old boy

49:26

could have randomly drowned in the bath. The

49:29

officer said that they didn't observe any tears

49:31

from Scott that afternoon but

49:33

said that she became upset when she was arrested.

49:37

There were three other people who testified about the

49:39

morning Scott had called 999. These

49:42

anonymous witnesses testified that they had been in

49:45

the home that morning with Scott

49:47

on Howell. According

49:50

to one of them they had heard Scott saying,

49:52

come on I'll form up. The

49:56

witnesses said that Howell was there at the home

49:59

but laughed just after Scott called 999. The

50:03

prosecution then called on Dr. Rob

50:06

Forsythe, a consultant

50:08

pediatrician-neurologist. He

50:10

testified that Scott had epilepsy, but

50:13

said that there was no evidence to show that Alfie

50:15

had it. Scott's

50:17

epilepsy was due to a form of a

50:19

mild brain injury, and when epilepsy is

50:21

caused by an injury, it's not hereditary,

50:24

but instead sporadic. Things

50:27

related to seizures and epilepsies are very

50:29

rare, the doctor said. However,

50:32

he did accept during cross-examination by the

50:34

defense that it was plausible that Alfie

50:36

suffered his first-ever seizure in the bath

50:38

that day that he died. The

50:42

next witness was Professor Safa Al-Saraj,

50:45

a professor in neuropathology. He

50:48

said that he had examined Alfie's brain after

50:50

his death, and found that the color

50:52

of his brain tissue was paler than it should have been.

50:56

This indicated a reduction of blood coming to

50:58

the brain, but the professor said he

51:00

was unable to say how this had been caused.

51:03

There was further testimony from pathologist

51:06

Dr. Roger Malcolmson. He

51:08

said that Alfie had bruises to his

51:11

head, face and body, and they indicated

51:13

blunt force trauma as opposed to accidental

51:15

injuries. Dr. Sue Zetlin

51:17

said that the injuries had come from an adult

51:19

who had lost control. She

51:22

detailed some marks on Alfie's buttocks, and said

51:24

that they most likely came from being kicked

51:27

by an adult. Drury

51:29

also heard testimony from all of the witnesses who

51:31

had seen or heard Alfie being

51:33

abused. Their

51:36

neighbour, Graham, who had called police, testified about

51:38

the last time he saw Alfie alive.

51:41

It was just the day before he died. He

51:45

was sitting on the driveway, and he waved at

51:47

Graham when he saw him. He

51:50

sat a low mister, and then asked if he

51:52

could pet his dog. Graham

51:54

told Alfie that he could, and watched

51:57

with a heavy heart as the child's small

51:59

hand, underly caress the

52:01

furry companion before him. Alfie

52:04

seemed content, as though the

52:06

simple exchange had transported him miles away from

52:08

the bleak confines of his own home. Less

52:12

than twenty-four hours later, he would

52:14

be dead. On

52:20

the second week of the trial, Carla Scott took

52:22

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52:27

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52:29

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53:53

H-E-L-P. She told

53:55

the jury that Howell had told her to lie to

53:57

police after she found her son unresponsive. in

54:00

the bath. According to Scott,

54:02

she went along with it because she didn't want to

54:04

get herself or him in trouble with the police. She

54:08

told the jury that after finding Alfie in the

54:10

bathtub, Howell performed CPR on

54:12

him while he told her to call

54:14

police. While

54:16

she was on the phone, Howell left the home. Scott

54:20

denied hurting her son, interfering with

54:22

his breathing as well as encouraging or

54:24

assisting Howell to do either. She

54:27

mentioned the earlier incident of finding Howell holding

54:29

a belt with Alfie crying and said to

54:31

the jury, I didn't

54:33

want to believe he could do something like that, even

54:36

though I knew he did. During

54:39

cross-examination by prosecutor Hee Lee, Scott

54:41

was told that she put her

54:43

boyfriend before her son. The

54:47

prosecutor said, your son

54:49

is literally lying a few feet from

54:51

you, possibly dead, and your

54:53

first thought is to lie about Dirk. She

54:56

said that if Howell hadn't done anything to Alfie,

54:59

then why did she need to lie? The

55:02

prosecutor suggested that Scott had been in the

55:04

bathroom with Alfie when Howell beat

55:06

him, kicked him, and then held him

55:08

underwater. After

55:10

Scott stepped down, Howell took her place in

55:13

the witness box. He

55:15

said that he was chilling, listening to reggae

55:17

music and playing Clash of Clans, when Scott

55:19

came bursting into the room and said that

55:22

Alfie wasn't breathing. He

55:24

said that he attempted CPR but it wasn't working,

55:26

so he decided to leave the scene.

55:30

In his words, he didn't want to

55:32

be around that situation. He

55:35

commented, I've seen a lot of

55:37

things in my past, but I couldn't.

55:39

Nah. During

55:41

the trial, it came to light that Howell

55:43

had initially confessed in his defense statement to

55:46

the court regarding the act of

55:48

dunking Alfie in De Cold Baths as a

55:50

punishment. However, when he

55:52

was pressed on the witness stand, he denied that he did

55:55

and said that he had lied during his statement. Howell

55:59

attributed this incident inconsistency to a

56:01

profound lack of trust, asserting

56:03

his distrust not only towards police, but

56:06

also towards his own legal counsel. Regarding

56:09

allegations of neighbours witnessing the

56:11

abuse inflicted upon Alfie, Howell

56:13

accused them of lying. He said

56:16

that they all thought of themselves as posh

56:19

and looked on their noses at him because he was

56:21

working class. In a

56:24

moment of frustration directed at the

56:26

prosecution, Howell erupted. There's

56:28

no evidence. You don't even know

56:30

how he died. But

56:33

if Howell had done nothing wrong, then why

56:35

did he flee from the home? Why

56:38

did he run to the police station and desperately try

56:40

to board a train as police caught up with him?

56:44

Howell responded, You have

56:46

to be in my situation. It's

56:48

alright making assumptions. Both

56:51

Scott and Howell stuck to the same story they had

56:53

told detectives, but Alfie

56:55

had somehow randomly drowned in the bath.

56:59

After Howell stepped down, closing arguments

57:01

were presented. Prosecutor

57:04

Healy said to the jury that the evidence

57:06

presented was distressing, but it

57:08

painted a picture of long-term abuse.

57:10

She reminded the jury that when

57:12

Alfie was found, his body temperature was 23 degrees,

57:15

when it should have been 37 degrees. It

57:17

suggested that

57:20

Alfie had been submerged in cold water

57:22

before he finally died. She

57:25

pointed out that if Alfie had died of an accident,

57:27

such as an epileptic fit, then

57:30

what purpose did Howell have for fleeing the

57:32

scene and Scott lying to detectives?

57:35

She stated, Both defendants wanted

57:37

to seriously harm Alfie that day. They

57:40

lost their temper, killed him. They

57:43

then began to cover up. Howell's

57:45

defense attorney, Alistair Williams, began his

57:48

closing argument by stating, There

57:50

is something rotten at the heart of the

57:52

prosecution's case. You cannot ignore

57:54

it. You must not ignore it,

57:56

because justice is difficult. It

57:59

involves people him that are not very nice,

58:02

but it doesn't mean he's guilty. He

58:05

said that it was possible that Alfie had

58:07

an epileptic fit which ultimately led to his

58:09

death. The jury were

58:11

then sent away to deliberate and they

58:14

returned with a verdict ten hours later. The

58:17

courtroom fell to a hushed silence as the

58:19

jury four months stood up. To

58:22

some breaking news this hour and a

58:24

mother has been convicted of manslaughter and

58:26

her partner found guilty of murder of

58:29

her nine-year-old son. Alfie

58:31

Steele died after being repeatedly beaten

58:33

and held in a cold bath

58:35

as part of what was described

58:37

as a sinister regime of punishment

58:40

inflicted on him. He had 50 injuries

58:42

at the time of his death. Outside

58:45

of court Alfie's grandfather Paul

58:47

commented, it fills

58:49

us with immense sadness that we will never be

58:51

able to see that cheeky smile again. Losing

58:54

Alfie has left a massive void in our

58:56

lives. To think that we will

58:58

never be able to hug him and watch him grow

59:00

into an accomplished young man causes

59:03

much anguish. His

59:06

comments were followed by the senior investigating

59:08

officer who led the case, Detective

59:10

Chief Inspector Leighton Harding. The

59:13

jury had heard evidence of a culture of abuse, cruelty

59:16

and torture by

59:18

Scott and Hal. Torture

59:21

amounted to repeated beatings with a

59:23

belt causing extensive bruising. He

59:25

was often woken in the early hours of the morning and

59:28

forced to stand outside where Scott and

59:30

Hal threw jugs of cold water over

59:33

him. He was

59:35

grounded for excessive periods made

59:37

to stand for hours inside and outside

59:39

his home. He had

59:41

food removed or withheld from him, banished

59:44

to his room and most

59:46

distressingly he was forced into a bath

59:48

of cold water and his head forcibly

59:50

held under. On the 15th

59:52

of June Scott and Hal returned to court

59:54

to be sentenced. They

59:56

stood before Justice Mark Wahl who

59:59

described them both a sadistic, and suggested that

1:00:01

they got some cruel pleasure out of what

1:00:03

they had done to Alfie. He

1:00:06

stated, "'What is clear is

1:00:08

that Alfie did not have the quiet death you tried

1:00:10

to portray, a death in

1:00:12

which he had an epileptic fit, and

1:00:14

gently fell asleep in the bath. His

1:00:17

death was violent and brutal. He

1:00:20

continued by saying that the day Alfie died

1:00:22

was yet another day where he was

1:00:24

being tortured and held under the

1:00:26

cold water.' He said.

1:00:30

Alfie tried to say no, called

1:00:32

in vain for his grandfather to help him, and

1:00:34

resisted getting into the bath. Maybe

1:00:38

it was that sign of resistance which sealed

1:00:40

his fate. I'm sure

1:00:42

that he was struck repeatedly to the body and head.

1:00:45

He was dunked under the water. Alfie

1:00:48

died either through drowning, concussive

1:00:50

head trauma, or mechanical asphyxia.

1:00:53

The doctors could not determine which

1:00:55

it was. For the purposes of this

1:00:57

sentence, it does not matter which. Whatever

1:01:01

the mechanics of his death, the

1:01:03

true cause of his death was your

1:01:05

cruel and unlawful conduct towards him.' According

1:01:09

to witnesses, they had heard Alfie crying out

1:01:11

to his grandfather shortly before

1:01:13

emergency services arrived at the home.

1:01:17

His grandfather, Paul, said that

1:01:19

he would forever be haunted by the thought of Alfie

1:01:21

calling out to him on his last

1:01:23

moments on earth. The

1:01:27

judge then sentenced Dirk Howell to life in

1:01:29

prison with a minimum term of 32 years

1:01:33

and Carla Scott to 27 years in prison,

1:01:35

but ordered that she would serve 17 years

1:01:38

before being considered for parole. As

1:01:44

Scott and Howell recorded off to begin serving

1:01:46

their sentences, a multi-agency review

1:01:50

was launched to investigate Alfie's death. The

1:01:53

MPCC said that they wanted to try and figure

1:01:55

out if there were missed opportunities to try and

1:01:57

save him. In

1:02:01

2023, West Mercier police referred

1:02:03

themselves to a watchdog over

1:02:05

their contact with Alfie's family.

1:02:07

In January of this year, the review was

1:02:09

complete and it found that the police had failed

1:02:12

to spot signs that Alfie was in danger. The

1:02:15

police had received numerous reports, while

1:02:18

social services were also aware of the risks

1:02:20

that were posed to Alfie. The

1:02:22

review said that there was a lack of communication

1:02:24

between them, so a complete picture of what was

1:02:27

really going on wasn't formed. In

1:02:30

total, there had been more than 60 phone

1:02:32

calls from people who were concerned about Alfie's

1:02:34

welfare. According to the

1:02:36

review, social services had viewed

1:02:38

Scott as a victim rather than a

1:02:41

perpetrator. It also

1:02:43

noted that when police visited the home after

1:02:45

the reports, they were simply told

1:02:47

that Alfie was fine and none

1:02:49

of them ever checked to see

1:02:51

whether he truly was. The review

1:02:53

read in part, there were

1:02:56

always casual explanations given by Carlos

1:02:58

Scott, but given the context, there

1:03:00

should have been more thought given

1:03:02

to ensuring that injuries were checked

1:03:04

through medical examination. After

1:03:07

the review was made public, the

1:03:09

police offered an apology. It read

1:03:12

in part, it is

1:03:14

with the greatest sadness that we will never

1:03:16

be able to undo the dreadful abuse that

1:03:18

Alfie suffered. Our thoughts

1:03:20

remain with those who knew and loved

1:03:22

Alfie. Well,

1:03:34

Bessie's ad is it for this episode

1:03:36

of Morbidology. As always, thank you

1:03:38

so much for listening and I'd like to say a

1:03:40

massive thank you to my newest supporter up on Patreon,

1:03:43

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appreciated. Remember to

1:04:32

check us out at morbidology.com for more

1:04:34

information about this episode and to read

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some true grant articles. Until

1:04:39

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