Woman avoids jail term after abandoning boy in woods overnight

A woman who abandoned a boy in a dark wooded area and subsequently reported him missing has not received a custodial sentence. Ashley McGovern transported the boy to Brock Wood, situated near Spott, East Lothian, on 9 September 2022. She then left him there for a period of 24 hours, without shoes or socks, which initiated a significant search operation. A dog walker discovered the nine-year-old, having heard his cries. The boy was found to have sustained a brain injury, along with injuries to his chest and neck, and tests revealed the presence of alcohol and cocaine in his system. McGovern, aged 31, received a three-year supervision order and was mandated to complete 300 hours of unpaid work. This followed her admission at the High Court in Edinburgh to wilfully neglecting the boy, resulting in his severe injury, permanent impairment, and danger to life. McGovern, whose residence is in Haddington, East Lothian, also pleaded guilty to attempting to obstruct the course of justice. She stated she was “unable to explain” her reasons for leaving the boy in the woods. Lord Young, during the sentencing proceedings, informed McGovern that she had confessed to “extremely serious offences”. He noted that she had experienced clinical depression and anxiety, associated with low self-esteem, over many years, but had since made “great strides” in stabilizing her life. Lord Young indicated that a custodial sentence “would be the norm” for such offences, but he was convinced that a non-custodial sentence was appropriate in her case. Warning: This account includes details that some readers may find distressing. The boy was reportedly in “good spirits” while playing with friends on the day he was abandoned. Earlier that day, he had been in the company of McGovern and other individuals. At approximately 19:00, the boy entered McGovern’s car, and she subsequently drove to a rural area, parking in a lay-by adjacent to the wood. Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC stated that the sun had already set at that time, and no other light source was present in the vicinity. He informed the court: “The boy was known to be afraid of the dark.” Approximately an hour later, McGovern went back to her vehicle, leaving the boy without food or water. He was dressed in a short-sleeved polo shirt and jogging bottoms. She messaged a man, inquiring if he had seen the boy, prompting the man to immediately commence a search. McGovern first informed her father that the boy was “missing”. Her claim was that she had dropped the child near the residence of an acquaintance, so he could retrieve his bicycle and ride home, but he had failed to return. She reiterated these same assertions to law enforcement. The court was informed that approximately 80 police officers, the force helicopter, mountain rescue teams, and the coastguard were deployed in what was described as a “significant search operation”. The boy was eventually located at approximately 19:00 the following day, after a local resident heard a child crying. The man, accompanied by his dog, tracked the sound until he discovered the boy deep within the woods, away from any path. The boy could confirm his name but appeared “extremely confused” and had difficulty standing. He was still dressed in the same clothes from the previous night, but was without shoes or socks. Nearby, two pools of blood were observed. Emergency services were notified, and he was subsequently stretchered into an ambulance and transported to the hospital. The court heard details of his injuries, which included damage to his chest and neck, in addition to a suspected ankle fracture. Subsequent tests indicated he had sustained a brain injury resulting from a lack of oxygen. According to one specialist, his brain injuries might have been caused by cocaine ingestion, as the substance was detected in a urine sample collected from the boy after his discovery. A hair sample, collected from the boy in November 2022, suggested he had experienced drug exposure over a duration commencing in late June 2022. While the precise timing or quantity of exposure was challenging to determine, the results implied multiple instances of drug exposure. The boy was not interviewed until November 2023, as it was considered inappropriate to do so earlier. John Scullion KC, representing the defense, informed the court that McGovern “felt a sense of panic” and described a sensation of “something flipped in her mind” on the day the offences occurred. He stated that she was introduced to cocaine at the onset of the Covid lockdown and rapidly developed a dependency on the substance. Mr. Scullion added that by September 2022, the drug had begun to affect her relationships with other people. He mentioned that she had undertaken measures to address her problems and further stated: “She has had mental health issues throughout her adult life, issues with anxiety and depression.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.