Woman who killed and left baby in Warrington woodland avoids jail
Joanne Sharkey admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility
Last updated 4th Apr 2025
A woman who killed her newborn baby son in Warrington nearly 30 years ago has avoided jail after being handed a suspended sentence.
Joanne Sharkey, 55, was charged with murder, but had her plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted.
The body of her baby was found wrapped in bin bags on 14 March 1998 by a man walking his dog in a wooded area off Camp Road, near to Gulliver’s World.
The man saw that it was a baby's body after poking a hole in the bin bags with a stick.
The baby was estimated to have been born at full-term within a few days of his discovery, but his identity, and that of his parents, wasn't known.
After the findings of a post-mortem, a murder investigation was launched.
Despite taking a full DNA sample of the baby and blood found on the bin bags, there was no match on the police database, despite identifying the DNA profile of the mother of the baby.
DNA swabs were also taken from people living locally at the time, but no matches were found.
A new investigation was then launched in 2022 and through further DNA analysis, the mother of the baby, Joanne Sharkey, and the father were identified.
They were both arrested in July 2023 on suspicion of murder.
A decision was taken not to take any further action against the father - because they found out that he wasn't aware of the pregnancy, birth, or subsequent death.
It was determined that Sharkey had concealed her pregnancy, given birth at home where she caused the death of the baby, put the body in bin bags and drove to the site in Warrington where she left him.
Her plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted because of psychiatric evidence.
After Sharkey's sentencing, Detective Inspector Hannah Friend said:
"Our thoughts today are with Callum and all the members of the community that have been affected by this really tragic investigation.
"He was a precious baby boy who the community of Warrington took into their hearts after he was killed by his mother in the most devastating circumstances.
"I'd like to thank all the officers, staff and other professionals who have worked so diligently on this painstaking and emotive investigation over the past 27 years.
"In some cases, that includes different generations of the same policing family and Cheshire Police has never forgotten this injustice against Callum.
"No matter how long ago, we will continue to seek justice for those who are no longer able to seek this for themselves."