'My nightmare over case of tragic twins'
'My nightmare over case of tragic twins'
Belfast Telegraph
The health visitor cleared of professional misconduct in the Briggs' Romanian twins case has spoken of the "nightmare" of the past four years.
The Professional Conduct Committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council decided last week that no further action should be taken against Claire McDonnell.
She was the health visitor in the tragic case of David and Samuel Briggs, adopted in 2000 by Portadown couple Geoffrey and Gwen Briggs.
The case was on her workload from July 26 until October 23 when David was found dead on arrival at Craigavon Area Hospital.
The pathology service missed 16 fractures on his body and it was released 12 hours later.
But when twin Samuel was admitted 13 days later with a fractured skull - caused by a punch from his adoptive father - the alarm bells sounded.
David's body was exhumed and the full facts emerged.
Mrs McDonnell (64) said: "The past four years have been a nightmare. I could not have managed without the love and support of my extended family - especially my husband Brendan and my sister Maeve McVeigh, who is also a health visitor.
"The staff at Portadown Health Centre also believed in me and sustained me through a terrible time, and now that the committee has reached the decision, I can return to the mainstream of my life."
Mrs McDonnell said she had done all in her power to care for the twins, adding: "They were beautiful children and I did for them what I would have expected anyone to do for my own.
"I loved working with them for the short time that I was involved in the case."
Geoffrey Briggs was jailed for two years after admitting the punch.
The child now lives with another family, and the Briggs live in Scotland.
A scathing report - the Lewis Report - criticised the Craigavon- Banbridge Community Trust for "lack of leadership, lack of co-ordination and lack of understanding on inter-country adoptions".
Three months later, Mrs McDonnell carried the can and was suspended on full pay and then dismissed.
Her colleagues were furious that she was made a "scapegoat", and the various charges were considered by the disciplinary committee, with the findings made public last month.
She was cleared of falsifying her home visit notes and also of failing to properly monitor the twins.
The committee added that, while Mrs McDonnell's case notes were not contemporaneous, no attempt was made to deceive.
However, in other cases, lesser charges were proven.
Mrs McDonnell's husband Brendan added: "We have all been under intolerable pressure over the past four years, and there were times when Claire felt she could not go on, but with family and colleagues' support we have come through.
"God is good and the truth has come out."
Mrs McDonnell added that she was considering taking up the threads of the profession that she loved.
The Lewis Report has prompted a review of inter-country adoption procedures in Northern Ireland.