A shameless father has admitted killing his 23-month old son who died from a HEROIN overdose.
Tragic tot Daniel Jones passed away after swallowing a wrap of the Class A drug in May last year – making him one the UK’s youngest ever heroin victims.
Parents Emma Bradburn, 34, and Simon Jones, 30, were arrested in December after extensive tests on Daniel’s body revealed there was enough heroin in his system to kill an adult.
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Further examination of hair samples from Daniel – who was known to social services – revealed he had also been exposed to a horrifying cocktail of drugs.
The court heard he suffered ‘chronic’ exposure to cannabis and opiates and ‘occasional’ exposure to amphetamines and cocaine.
Jones yesterday pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of the youngster when he appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
His partner had previously admitted causing or allowing the death of her child, but had denied manslaughter.
Prosecutors revealed yesterday they would accept Bradburn’s guilty plea to the lesser charge.
Daniel was pronounced dead when paramedics were called to the £200,000 home the pair shared in Windsor Avenue, Wolverhampton, West Mids., at 6.15am on May 29.
Roger Blezzard, prosecuting, told the court previously: “Both of the defendants were living together with a small child.
“Their behaviour resulted in the child taking an overdose of heroin which has caused his death.
“Substantial evidence of exposure to other controlled drugs was also found from toxicology reports from the child’s hair.
“There is the suspicion the child had been exposed for some time to drug consumption.”
The pair were remanded in custody for reports to be prepared and will be sentenced on July 3.
Neighbours revealed how the couple had moved to the area after Bradburn was given a hefty compensation payout following a car accident several years ago.
Local resident Natalie Baker, 38, said: “She got compensation following an accident and was in a coma for about a year.
“They bought the house outright and moved up here from Low Hill which is a more downmarket area.
“It was a bit of a shock when it all happened,
“They seemed to have a lot of support from family members who were always coming and going.
“But there were also coppers everywhere so we knew something was wrong.
“They told all of us it was cot death which seemed a bit suspicious because he was too old.
“I asked her a couple of months ago if she’d had the funeral yet but she said they were still waiting for toxicology results.
“I knew they smoked weed because you could constantly smell it coming from the house.
“There were lots of dodgy characters always coming and going.
“But I had no idea about the harder stuff.
“It makes me sick to think about it.
“Daniel was ever such a sweet little boy, he called himself ‘Superman’ because he always wore a t-shirt with the red and yellow ‘S’ on it.”
Other residents said Daniel’s death had been “devastating” for the local community.
Anthony Baker, 67, and daughter Natalie, 38, who live next door, added: “It was devastating.
“He was an ordinary child. I used to have a laugh with him over the fence.
“He was just a normal happy child.”
Another neighbour said: “Daniel was a little sunbeam, his smile would light up a room.
“It’s evil, atrocious and appalling what has happened to such a beautiful little boy.”
A spokeswoman for Wolverhampton City Council confirmed the authority’s Safeguarding Children’s Board has launched a serious case review into Daniel’s death.
