Parents jailed over son's preventable death

A mother who failed to get medical help for her seriously ill 12-year-old son until his lips turned white has been jailed after being convicted of causing his death.

Tamara Thomas, 46, was sentenced after being found guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of her son Joshua, who died in 2022.

Her husband, Damion Thomas, 48, was cleared by a jury of gross negligence manslaughter but convicted of child cruelty offences.

Tamara Thomas was jailed for three years and nine months, while Damion Thomas was sentenced to two years and nine months at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.

The couple, who previously lived in Kings Heath in Birmingham before moving to north London, both denied the charges.

During a trial earlier this year, jurors heard Joshua showed symptoms of severe diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious complication of diabetes, for hours before emergency services were called.

Police previously said Tamara Thomas only phoned for help after noticing her son's lips had turned white, but Joshua later died in hospital.

The jury found her guilty of gross negligence manslaughter on 24 March.

Both parents, who were then living in Yarningdale Road, Kings Heath, but later moved to Tottenhall Road, Enfield, were also convicted of child cruelty offences relating to Joshua and another child.

Damion Thomas received a 12-month prison sentence for one child cruelty offence, to run concurrently with his longer sentence of two years and nine months for a separate offence.

Tamara Thomas was also handed a concurrent 12-month sentence for child cruelty alongside her jail term for manslaughter.

Following the convictions, West Midlands Police investigator Vicki Harris said expert medical evidence showed Joshua's death could have been prevented if medical attention had been sought sooner.

She said the case had been an "emotive investigation" and that both parents had been aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes.

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