How Could You? Hall of Shame-UK-St. Monica’s

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Kendal, UK, “evidence has been submitted to Cumbria Police in connection with allegations of historical abuse at a church-run mother and baby institution where more than 60 newborn babies died, following an ITV News investigation.

A new report by Dr Michael Lambert, an historian of the welfare state at Lancaster University, has outlined a high infant death rate at St Monica’s home in Kendal.

The report concluded that the deaths were due to a combination of failings, including inadequate facilities, malpractice and poor care from those delivering babies and a lack of oversight from the church and state.

Analysis of public health records, alongside birth and death certificates, indicated that children with disabilities born at the mother and baby home were deemed “un-adoptable” and denied modern medical care, according to the new research.”

“Unmarried pregnant women from across the north of England were sent to St Monica’s, which was run by the Diocese of Carlisle, to give birth in secret from 1917 until its closure in 1970.

These latest revelations come after an ITV News Freedom of Information Request in 2024 obtained burial records which showed that 43 babies, who were born and then died at the home, were buried in mass unmarked graves in secret, alongside two mothers.

And now more fatalities have been identified.

Dr Lambert’s report detailed an additional 18 infant deaths, taking the total to 61, and 54 stillbirths. It remains unclear where these babies are buried.”

“Dr Lambert said numerous warnings about sub-standard care over many years “were not acted upon” by the health authorities who subsidised the home and the Anglican bodies involved in its governance.

“These represent a failure by the Church of England to discharge its responsibility over all the mother and baby homes run in its name,” he told ITV News.

“And the UK government whose system of funding and inspections was wholly ineffective in ensuring unmarried mothers were cared for.”

What happened at St Monica’s was emblematic of a system operating across Britain.”

“Between 1949 and the mid-1970s, an estimated 200,000 unmarried women were sent away to mother and baby homes run by churches and the state, where they were pressured and coerced into giving up their babies for adoption. Other infants died due to poor care.”

Forced adoption scandal: Evidence sent to Cumbria Police about 61 baby deaths at church-run home
[ITV 6/11/26 by Sarah Corker]

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