Coroner rules on Inquest into deaths of Chloe and Jake Ford

15/01/21

At the end of a lengthy inquest into the deaths of 23 month old twins Chloe and Jake Ford, who were drowned in the bath by their mother Samantha Ford, Assistant Coroner Christopher Sutton-Mattocks has recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

Having heard extensive evidence from family members and many medical professionals involved in the case, the Assistant Coroner did not accept the submission on behalf of Samantha Ford that medical professionals could have prevented their death or that their deaths entailed the State’s obligations under Article 2 of the ECHR.  Rather, consistent with the submissions made by Mr Ford, the father of the twins, he found that there were no failings by the healthcare professionals involved in her case and that it could not have been foreseen that Samantha Ford would go on to kill them.  As such, he recorded only the manner by which they came by their deaths.

The case has received extensive news coverage.