Woman pleads guilty to child neglect after boy found injured in woods

A woman left a nine-year-old boy in a dark wooded area in East Lothian before falsely reporting him as missing. Ashley McGovern, 31, transported the child to Brock Wood, near the village of Spott, on 9 September 2022, abandoning him without shoes, socks, food, or water. A comprehensive emergency search was initiated, and the boy was discovered 24 hours later when a dog walker happened to hear him crying. He had sustained injuries to his chest and neck, along with brain injuries, and tests revealed the presence of cocaine and alcohol in his system. McGovern admitted to wilfully neglecting the boy, causing him severe injury, permanent impairment, and endangering his life. She also pled guilty to a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice. Warning: This story contains details some readers may find upsetting On the day of his abandonment, the boy had spent time with several individuals, including McGovern. He was described as his “usual self” and in “good spirits” while playing with friends. At approximately 19:00, the child entered McGovern’s car, and she drove into the countryside, parking in a lay-by adjacent to the wood. Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC stated that the sun had already set for the evening, and there was no other source of light in the area. He added: “The boy was known to be afraid of the dark.” Heavy rainfall had also occurred that day, making the woods muddy. Around 20:00, McGovern re-entered her car without the boy. The child was dressed in a short-sleeved polo shirt and jogging bottoms, and he had no food or water. After returning to her car, McGovern sent a text message to a man, asking if he had seen the boy, and the man immediately began searching for him. McGovern initially informed her own father that the boy was “missing.” She claimed to have dropped the child off near the house of an acquaintance for him to collect his bike and ride it back, but he had not returned. She repeated these same claims to police. About 80 police officers, the force helicopter, as well as mountain rescue and the coastguard, were deployed in a “significant search operation,” the court heard. The boy was finally discovered at approximately 19:00 the next day after a resident heard a child crying. The man, accompanied by his dog, followed the sound until he located the boy deep in the woods, off a path. The boy was still wearing the same clothes he had on the previous night, but he had no shoes or socks on. He confirmed his name, but appeared “extremely confused” and struggled to stand. Two pools of blood were found nearby. Emergency services were alerted before he was stretchered into an ambulance and taken to hospital. The court was told he had injuries to his chest and neck, as well as a suspected ankle fracture. Further tests revealed he had suffered a brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen. One specialist suggested his brain injuries could have been due to the ingestion of cocaine, which was found in a urine sample taken from the boy after he was found. A hair sample was taken from the boy in November 2022, which indicated he had been exposed to drugs over a period beginning in late June 2022. It was difficult to ascertain the exact timing or quantity of exposure, but the findings suggested he had been exposed on more than one occasion. The boy was not interviewed until November 2023, as it was not deemed appropriate before then. Mr Cameron said he spoke about the incident, but his account at times was “confused and contradictory” regarding how he ended up in the woods or who took him. The lawyer added: “He did not state that McGovern was responsible.” McGovern had initially been arrested days after the boy was found, but then released. She was charged a week later and made no comment. Her KC John Scullion said: “She is certainly not someone who finds it easy to provide information.” “There have been issues in her life most notably her misuse of drugs. She has taken steps to address that problem.” She had been on bail, but Judge Lord Young remanded McGovern in custody as the case was adjourned for sentencing next month.