A Birmingham woman has been found guilty of causing the death of her seriously ill 12-year-old son. Tamara Thomas was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter following the tragic death of Joshua in 2022.
Joshua’s Symptoms Ignored for Hours
Joshua suffered from severe diabetic ketoacidosis. His symptoms should have been obvious for hours before his death. Although both parents noticed he was unwell, Tamara only dialled 999 hours later—after spotting his lips had turned white. He was rushed to the hospital on 9 December 2022 but sadly died in the early hours of the following day.
Father Cleared of Manslaughter but Guilty of Child Cruelty
Tamara’s husband, Damion Thomas, was acquitted of gross negligence manslaughter but found guilty of child cruelty. Both parents were also convicted of neglect relating to another child.
“Both parents were aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes,” said lead investigator Vicki Harris. “Expert medical evidence showed their son’s death would have been preventable if medical attention had been sought earlier.” “This has been an emotive investigation for everyone involved and this verdict is the result of more than three years’ work safeguarding other children and examining complex medical evidence.”
Sentencing for Tamara and Damion Thomas is set for June 2024.
