Woman poisoned baby with salt

A WOMAN who poisoned her baby son to death with salt more than 20 years ago was yesterday given a two-year suspended jail sentence.

Rosemary Cox, 55, suffered from the same condition that affected Beverly Allitt, the nurse who received 13 life terms for murdering and assaulting children in her care.

York Crown Court was told how Cox was suspected of killing her child in 1972 and how she confessed to a psychiatrist in 1982. But she only now faced criminal charges because of her own disclosures and because others feared she might do the same to her grandchildren.

Cox, from York, admitted administering a noxious substance to her 15-month-old son, Peter, in December 1972, but denied manslaughter. Her pleas were accepted by the prosecution.

Malcolm Swift QC, for the prosecution, said Cox had taken the child to hospital 16 times from the age of six weeks to 15 months.

Judge Donald Herrod said he was troubled why nothing was done when a post-mortem examination on the body at the time revealed he died from salt poisoning.

But Stuart Brown QC, for the defence, told the judge: 'Much more is known now and I'm sure there is much more awareness.'

Mr Swift said it was a classic case of Munchhausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSP), adding that Cox had a history of psychiatric problems.

Reports were made to police in 1992 when people learnt Cox was suffering from MSP and they were worried the same thing could happen to her grandchildren.