Bolton mum fatally drugged daughters over care fears
Family handoutA mother who fatally drugged her two daughters before killing herself feared they would be put into care if she left them behind, an inquest heard.
Tiffany Stevens, 27, gave lethal substances to 18-month-old Darcey Stevens and three-year-old Casey-Lea Taylor at their home in 2019.
Bolton Coroner's Court heard she then consumed a cocktail of drugs.
Assistant coroner Peter Sigee ruled Ms Stevens unlawfully killed her two children before taking her own life.
The inquest heard their bodies were found at the home in Arthur Street, Little Lever, Bolton, on 21 January 2019 and may have been there for a week.
Ms Stevens had endured a "traumatic" upbringing, the court was told, having been placed into care as a child, which led to her "dislike" and "distrust" of social services.
When she was 19, she tried to kill herself and was referred for mental health treatment on at least eight occasions between 2011 and 2017, but consistently failed to turn up for appointments, the court heard.
She also had a history of self-harm and had been diagnosed as having a serious mental health condition.
'Loving and caring'
Forensic clinical psychologist Dr Adrian West said Ms Stevens harboured a mistrust of social services and a "fear if she died and she left her children behind they would end up in care".
Her mother, Bobby-Jo, said her daughter "thought the world was corrupt and bad, no matter how much we tried to reason with her".
Health visitor Heather Ellis, who saw Ms Stevens following the birth of Casey-Lea, described her as a "loving and caring mother".
Mr Sigee concluded Darcey was unlawfully killed, without suffering, by the administration of a lethal substance.
He ruled Casey-Lea was also unlawfully killed, without suffering, through a combination of various prescription drugs.
He added Ms Stevens was of sound mind when she killed her daughters and her actions would have constituted murder.
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