Mum, 20, who killed her eight-month-old baby at home is jailed for less than six years

A MUM who killed her eight-month old baby at home has today been jailed for less than six years.

Caitlin Jones, 21, was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison at Preston Crown Court for the manslaughter of Francesca Haworth.

Little Francesca was found unresponsive at a property in Frederick Street in Blackpool, Lancs., at around 7:30am on November 7, 2018.

Paramedics rushed her to Blackpool Victoria Hospital for treatment but she died later that day.

A post-mortem examination concluded the tot had suffocated.

Prosecutors said Jones made a "deliberate and premeditated" to suffocate the baby and although she raised the alarm and called an ambulance by then it was too late.

'DELIBERATE AND PREMEDITATED'

Police later found that the mum had made internet searches on whether you could be prosecuted if your baby was found suffocated.

And at hospital, Jones had asked if she was going to be held responsible for Francesca's death.

She had also provided inconsistent information to police about how she had found her daughter in her cot.

Jones claimed she had found Francesca unresponsive with a blanket around her face.

But detectives launched a probe into Francesca's death and seized a number of items including Jones' phone and iPad.

They later found searches had been made relating to suffocating babies made just hours before the tragic tot's death.

Jones was arrested and later charged with murder in July 2020.

She tried put suspicion on to her partner for a considerable period of time by blaming him for the internet searches, prosecutors said.

But she was jailed today after pleading guilty to manslaughter at an earlier court date.

Det Ch Insp Gareth Willis, of Lancashire Police, said: “The death of Francesca Haworth was utterly tragic, heartbreaking and wholly avoidable.

“A baby is reliant on the care and trust of her mother to be raised in safety, without harm.

"Caitlin Jones was Francesca’s source of life and should have been her source of love. Sadly, she showed little regard for the welfare of her daughter that day."

Senior District Crown Prosecutor Isla Chilton said: "This was a tragic death of a young baby at the hands of her own mother.

"It was a deliberate and premeditated act by Caitlin Jones to suffocate her, and although she raised the alarm and called an ambulance by then it was too late.

"The forensic and pathology evidence proved that Francesca's death was not an accident."

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