A mother today admitted killing her newborn son whose body was discovered in woodland almost 27 years ago.
The identity of the child remained a mystery until three years ago when a cold case investigation revealed a DNA link to Joanne Sharkey on the police national computer.
Until then he had been known as Baby Callum – named after the Callands area of Warrington, in Cheshire, near to the Gulliver’s World theme park, where the child’s body was found.
Sharkey was charged last April and was due to go on trial today for the baby’s murder.
But today she pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and to concealing her son’s birth.
Jonas Hankin KC, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that the evidence of experts, including psychiatrists instructed by both the prosecution and defence, revealed Sharkey was suffering from post-natal depression at the time.
‘In plain terms this killing is impossible to understand in the absence of the existence of moderate to severe depressive illness,’ the barrister said.
‘That gave rise to an abnormality of mental functioning, which substantially impaired Joanne Sharkey’s ability to form rational judgement and to exercise self control.’
Joanne Sharkey (pictured) today admitted killing her newborn son whose body was discovered in woodland almost 27 years ago
Pictured the casket of Baby Callum at St Elphin’s church alongside a white teddy in 1998
The infant was named Callum after the Callands district of Warrington where he was found, nearby Gulliver’s World theme park (pictured)
Sharkey, who was dressed in a smart cream cardigan with her brunette hair tied up, dabbed her eyes with a tissue and became tearful as she delivered her guilty pleas.
The child’s body was discovered inside two knotted bin bags by a man walking with young son and dog in Camp Rd, near to Gulliver’s World, a theme park, in Warrington, Cheshire, at around 10.45am on March 14, 1998.
He went to the theme park for help and, by chance there was a paediatrician present who went to the scene and confirmed it was the body of a deceased baby boy. Callum was pronounced dead at 11.25am.
A post-mortem was carried out and tests revealed the baby was full term when he was killed. Wads of tissue were found in his mouth and throat.
Police launched a murder investigation, named Operation Wistful, which involved extensive house to house enquiries, appeals to local hospitals, midwives, GP surgeries and schools.
Full DNA profiles were also obtained from the baby’s blood and from blood of his mother found on the bin bags.
Officers took DNA swabs from a large number of local people to try to find a match, but despite this neither his mother or father was found.
Locals donated money to help fund a funeral for the baby and pay for his headstone. Around 150 mourners attended Callum’s funeral.
Baby Callum’s funeral procession at St Elphin’s parish inn Warrington in 1998
Ms Sharkey pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and to concealing her son’s birth
Sharkey, who was dressed in a smart cream cardigan with her brunette hair tied up, dabbed her eyes with a tissue and became tearful as she delivered her guilty pleas (Pictured previously)
A previous sketch drawn by a court artist of Joanne Sharkey, 54, when she appeared at Warrington Magistrates Court last year
An inquest the following year found the boy weighed just under 8lbs and had been born alive but died soon after birth.
Then, in January 2022, Cheshire police launched a cold case review, which revealed a partial match to a DNA profile stored on the national database.
It linked to an unnamed relative of Sharkey’s and, using advanced DNA techniques not available in the 1990s, police were able to confirm that she was the boy’s mother and her husband, Neil, his father.
In July 2023 the couple, who have an older son together born 20 months before Callum, were arrested.
However, it is understood that Mr Sharkey knew nothing about his wife’s second pregnancy, which she had concealed from him, and he was later released with no further action.
Adam Till, spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘This has been a complex case about a baby whose life was unfairly cut short.
‘He would have been an adult today and it’s devastating to think of the life he could have had. The circumstances of his death have deeply affected everyone who has been involved in this case as well as the wider community.
Using advanced DNA techniques, Cheshire Police found a partial DNA match to a relative of Sharkey’s, and later confirmed she was the boy’s mother
Pictured: The approach road to Gullivers World Theme Park nearby where baby Callum who weighed just under 8lbs was found
‘We carefully considered and accepted a guilty plea to manslaughter following a thorough review of the psychiatric reports and medical evidence.
‘The evidence concluded that Sharkey’s mental state was significantly impaired at the time of the offence due to a medical condition which diminished her criminal responsibility.
‘While the outcome of this case will never bring the baby back, we hope it brings a small measure of comfort to everyone who has been affected by this awful case.’
Mrs Justice Eadie adjourned the case for reports and released Sharkey, of Liverpool, on conditional bail until March 21 when she will be sentenced.
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