IP: The Lox File

Dear Mr & Mrs Lox
I am a social worker with the county council children’s services team. I am writing to let you know that we have had a referral concerning your family. If convenient, I shall visit you at home on Thursday morning at 9:00 am to discuss this referral. Please contact me on the above number if this is not convenient.
Yours sincerely
R Redd (Ms)
Children’s Services

Casenote dated 1 August 2010: Goldie Cannalle Lox DOB 21 July 2003; Kerr Lee Lox, DOB 21 December 2004. Ethnic Origin: Any Other White Background (Central European).
Home Visit.
Family live in a privately rented flat in Forrest Street. Property is reasonably maintained, appropriately decorated and clean and tidy. Goldie and Kerr presented as healthy, clean and appropriately dressed. They were having their breakfast when I arrived. Explained to parents we have received a referral concerning inadequate supervision of the children, particularly Goldie, neighbours are concerned that Goldie is out on her own or with two children from another family for long periods during the day.

Mr and Mrs Lox appeared bewildered by the referral. Mrs Lox said she thought it had probably come from a lady called Mrs White, who lives round the corner in Applebite Street; Mrs Lox stated this lady has not been ’right in the head’ since her own seven children were taken into care following repeated incidents of her being unconscious due to intoxication.

Mr Lox stated that in their country of origin it is considered appropriate for children to be in the company of their peers in an external environment for several hours at a time. Explained to parents that, while fully respecting their cultural background, in Britain children are expected to be either in the home, in a suitably enclosed external area, or in an organised leisure environment during school holidays.

Mrs Lox explained that the two children Goldie and Kerr interact with are Hans and Grete Els, (Any Other White Background (Northern European)). These children are slightly older than Goldie and Kerr, and are also used to being allowed out unsupervised.

Mr Lox works full time, with Mr Els, in the kitchen at Hotel Barbe Bleu. Mrs Lox works mornings, as a cleaner, for the Ursa family at Hammleigh Hall. She is going to ask her friend, Mrs Ella Syndher, if she could look after Kerr in the mornings, and she will ask Mrs Wolf, the housekeeper at Hammleigh Hall, if she can take Goldie with her during the holidays. Mrs Lox is confident this will be acceptable, as Mrs Wolf is very fond of young children.

Agreed that I will contact family again next week to see how these arrangements are working out. Also agreed that Mr and Mrs Lox will look into buying a computer so the children are not tempted to go outside unsupervised. R. Redd.

7 August 2010: Telephone call to Mr and Mrs Lox. The new arrangements have been put in place and are working well. They have bought a computer, Mrs Lox says this has proved to be a double success. Not only do the children enjoy it, but Mr Lox has rediscovered his interest in photography and spends several hours each evening perusing material he has downloaded on the subject. Mrs Lox says she can now watch her TV programmes in peace! R. Redd.

14 August 2010 10:15 am. Telephone call from Major Ursa of Hammleigh Hall. Wanted to speak urgently to social worker involved with Goldie Lox. Details taken, message left on Rose’s work mobile. Polly Kettlewell, Admin Assistant.

14 August 2010 10:45 am. Telephone call from Mrs Lox. Very distressed. Said Major Ursa has dismissed her from her job and Kerr is missing. Also said her husband no longer residing at home. Advised her to call the police re Kerr. Message left on Rose’s work mobile. Polly Kettlewell, Admin Assistant.

14 August 11:10 am. Telephone call from police. Confirmed Kerr Lox missing. Hans and Grete Els also missing. Message left on Rose’s work mobile. Polly Kettlewell, Admin Assistant.

14 August 2010, 11:45 am.. Telephone call to Major Ursa. He was unaware of the arrangement re Goldie until this morning. He explained that his daughter in law and grandson, Theodore, are visiting from Wales, where his son is an extraction engineer. At 8:00 am this morning he was awoken by screaming from Theodore’s room. The nanny, Miss Hubbard, had gone out early to take the family’s dog for a walk. When she returned she found Goldie asleep in Theodore’s bed, but no sign of Theodore. Subsequent investigations revealed disturbances to furniture in Major Ursa’s study and his daughter in law’s private sitting room. The cook, Mrs Spratt, also found items of food missing, including several packets of breakfast cereal. There is still no sign of Theodore. Goldie is very upset, says she doesn‘t know where Theodore is. Police have been informed. Concern also re Mrs Wolf, the shock brought on her asthma and she is now in hospital. R Redd.

14 August 2010, 2pm: Attended police interview with Goldie Lox in Special Victims Suite. Mrs Lox also present. Mr Lox is currently in police custody following seizure of his computer. Goldie shared that she and Kerr had been unhappy that they could no longer interact with Hans and Grete Els. Also they felt their father no longer had time for them because of his renewed interest in photography. This morning Goldie slipped out into the garden of Hammleigh Hall while her mother was busy cleaning. There she found Kerr and the Els children. Kerr told her Ella Syndher had gone back to bed after Mrs Lox had dropped him off, because she was tired after a very late night. He therefore went round to the Els house, where Hans and Grete were in the garden. They proposed running away to their grandmother, who runs a small sweet manufacturing business in Woodley. The children had come to Hammleigh Hall to collect Goldie and take her with them.

Goldie was not sure about running away, so while she was making her mind up the children made their way into the house where they played trains with the chairs in Major Ursa’s study and houses with the chairs in Theodore’s mother’s sitting room, and went to the kitchen to get some food to take with them on their journey. They then went upstairs to explore and went into Theodore’s room. Theodore woke up and the children invited him to join them in running away. Theodore agreed, but Goldie still wasn’t sure, and an argument ensued. The other children finally left without her. Goldie was so upset she climbed into Theodore’s bed and cried until she fell asleep.

Grandmother of the Els children has been contacted but denies seeing any of them. Police search continues. R Redd.

Supervision Session 15 August 2010, 10:00 am: Rose shared with me her concerns re the Lox case. Children have still not been located. There will be a review of the case, Rose will be required to appear before The Panel. Mr Lox is due in court next Wednesday. Mrs Lox has left their flat due to anonymous letters and phone calls re Mr Lox’s alleged offence. Police currently investigating a report from Mr and Mrs Els’s country of origin re two older children also alleged to have disappeared. Mrs Wolf has been diagnosed with emphysema. Theodore’s father has come to Hammleigh Hall to be with his wife. Police also investigating reports of a musician, possibly of German origin, seen talking to children in the area over the last few days. HC Andersen, Manager.

CASE TO BE CLOSED.