A LITTLE girl was killed by her mum after a series of missed warnings about her deteriorating mental health, a damning report reveals today.

Chloe Fahey, five, was stabbed 52 times by Aisling Murray who carried out a ritualistic killing, stripping her child’s bedroom of fixtures and fittings, removing wallpaper, and turning the bed into an altar.

A neighbour heard Chloe screaming and begging for her life. By the time police arrived, the girl was dead. At 10pm on the night Chloe died in 2003, David Fahey’s mum had discovered the pair were at home alone and called Stretford police station, begging them to intervene.

She had made numerous previous pleas for help to the authorities in the days before the tragedy. Desperate calls for medical help were also made by Chloe’s dad, David Fahey, while teachers at her school dialled 999 expressing concern about Murray.

On the day Chloe died, Trafford’s community mental health team had visited Murray but she was not admitted to hospital. The family was known to social services at Trafford Council.

Less than a month before the tragedy, Bolton, Salford and Trafford mental health trust had decided Murray, who had a history of psychiatric illness, was not ‘a risk’ and discharged her from hospital.

Regional health bosses ordered a report into Chloe’s death at Bradshaw Lane in Stretford.

It was led by Frances Patterson QC, a deputy high court judge, took four years to complete and is understood to have cost £700,000.

The findings were being published today – SEVEN years after her death in 2003.

Shortcomings

The report was expected to reveal ‘shortcomings in the care and treatment’ of Murray in the run up to the killing. Psychiatric services were expected to be highlighted for particular failings.

The M.E.N. understands the report criticises Trafford’s community mental health team, Trafford social services and police.

It is expected to make recommendations for GMP to improve the way it responds to this kind of incident but says even if it had acted differently it is unlikely to have prevented the tragedy.

Mike Farrar, chief executive of NHS North West, who ordered the inquiry, said: “This report shows there were shortcomings in the care and treatment of the child’s mother, who was a vulnerable person. We are deeply sorry that, as a patient, she was let down and we give our sincere apologies to the family.”

Murray had suffered mental health problems from 1998.

She had been treated in hospital several times after that – once for nearly a year.

She insisted on pleading guilty to murder but this was replaced by manslaughter with diminished responsibility by the court of appeal 18 months ago.

Assistant Chief Con Terry Sweeney from Greater Manchester Police said: “This report contains a number of recommendations for GMP, all of which have been implemented since the death in 2003. The report does clearly state that the police actions that evening did not contribute to the child’s death.”

It is understood Bolton Salford and Trafford mental health trust, now known as Greater Manchester West Mental Health Trust, and Trafford Council have already implemented all the report’s recommendations.

Key dates show how the tragedy of little Chloe unfolded

  • Dec 1997 – Chloe Fahey born.
  • June 1999 – June 2000 Chloe’s mum Aisling Murray spends almost a year in hospital in a psychiatric unit.
  • May – July 2001 Aisling admitted to hospital for psychiatric care.
  • May 15 – June 3 2003 Aisling admitted to hospital for psychiatric care.
  • June 3 2003 – psychiatrists at Bolton, Salford and Trafford mental health trust decide Aisling is not ‘a risk’ and she is discharged from hospital.
  • June 3 – 26 2003 – the family reports concerns about Aisling to social services and the community mental health team.
  • June 26, 2003 – In the early hours Aisling attacks partner David Fahey and is arrested. Aisling taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary with arm injuries. She is not psychiatrically assessed, despite her ‘agitated’ state. Police refer the case to social services.
  • Aisling causes a disturbance at Victoria Park Infants school when dropping off Chloe and refuses to leave her. Teachers ring 999 then cancel the call when Aisling calms down.
  • Trafford social worker visits Aisling.
  • Later Aisling's family again call police and officers go to the house, they speak to her through a window then leave.
  • Mr Fahey is so concerned he leaves the house for the night.
  • 10pm – Aisling’s mother discovers Chloe is alone in the house with Aisling and rings police begging them to act.
  • June 27, 2003 – Aisling stabs Chloe 52 times. A neighbour calls police.
  • 4am – Police find Chloe dead.
  • Jan 16, 2004 – Aisling admits murder.
  • 2004 – A report into Trafford social services handling of the case revealed they had deemed Aisling ‘a low priority’.
  • Nov 29, 2005 – The inquiry into Chloe’s death begins.
  • Jul 2008 – Aisling’s murder conviction quashed and replaced by manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. She is detained under a hospital order.
  • Now – Aisling is detained in a medium secure unit.