UK Mother Kills Children Hours After Police Release Her

A tragic incident unfolded in Stoke, England, where a mother, Veronique John, murdered her two children just hours after being released by police following a domestic disturbance. The events leading to the deaths of her daughter, Elizabeth, aged seven, and son, Ethan, aged eleven, have raised serious questions about police response and domestic violence protocols.

During an inquest into the children’s deaths, held at Stoke Civic Centre, the coroner, Emma Serrano, heard that Veronique John had been handed an indefinite hospital order after the fatal attacks, which occurred on June 11, 2023. The inquest revealed that police had been called to the John home on multiple occasions leading up to the tragic day.

On July 9, 2023, officers from Staffordshire Police responded to a 999 call made by Veronique John, who reported an altercation with her husband, Nathan John. After attending the family home on Flax Street, PC Megan Maddox assessed the situation as “medium risk.” At the time, Nathan had already left the premises, and the two children were upstairs, reportedly unaware of any violence taking place.

The following day, Nathan John made another 999 call, indicating he had been assaulted by his wife. When officers visited him at work, they observed visible injuries, including a swollen forearm and a lump on his forehead. He informed them that Veronique had assaulted him with a piece of wood and had threatened to stab him while he slept.

Police arrested Veronique John later that day. During questioning, she admitted to slapping her husband but denied making any threats to kill. Sergeant Steven Marriott, responsible for her booking at the custody facility, noted that Veronique was taking medication for depression. At that time, the facility’s mental health team had left for the day, and Marriott decided against delaying her interview for a health assessment.

PC Maddox described Veronique as appearing “quite apologetic” about the incident. Consequently, police opted for a community resolution notice, which allowed her to return home in the early hours of July 11, 2023. Nathan John, feeling unsafe, went to another address, leaving Veronique alone with the children.

On the afternoon of the same day, Nathan reported to the police that he had been stabbed. Officers returned to the family home, where Veronique contacted authorities, stating that she had killed her children. Emergency services arrived, but both Elizabeth and Ethan were pronounced dead shortly after 14:30.

The inquest revealed that had a domestic violence protection notice been issued instead of the community resolution notice, Veronique would have been barred from returning home for 48 hours. PC Maddox testified that she believed there was no physical threat to the children at the time, as Nathan had assured her they were safe.

PC John Harrison, who participated in the case review, expressed concern about the outcome, noting that cases involving such tragic results are extremely rare within domestic abuse situations. The inquest continues, as authorities seek to understand how the situation escalated to such a devastating conclusion.

This incident highlights the critical nature of police responses to domestic violence and the potential consequences of inadequate intervention. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the children’s deaths remains ongoing, with the community and family seeking answers in the wake of this heartbreaking tragedy.