Children's bodies found in car in Sussex

Jesus, how awful! She must be mentally deranged.

Mum confesses: I’ve killed my children
By MIKE SULLIVAN, Crime Editor
Published: Today
A MOTHER walked into a police station yesterday and told cops: "I've killed my children."
Fiona Donnison, 43, then led officers to her car, where the bodies of her son Harry, three, and daughter Elise, two, were found wrapped in black plastic bin liners in two separate sports bags in the boot.

The mum was "spaced out" with self-inflicted cuts to her wrists and arms.

Mrs Donnison, who has severe marriage problems, was arrested following the horrific discovery in Heathfield, East Sussex before being taken to hospital.
She was last night being assessed to see if she was fit to be interviewed by police
It was not known last night how the children died.
But a police source at the scene said they had been "dead for some time".
The shocking discovery came after the mother, who has two teenage sons from a previous marriage, walked into the police station at Heathfield.
She stated simply: "I've killed my children."
A source said: "She then took police to her car. It was parked near a school which it is believed her oldest son attended in the past.
"It was obviously a terrible shock for the officers who found the children.
"The woman apparently appeared totally spaced out and oblivious to what had happened. She was clearly not of a balanced mind and her mental health will be part of the inquiry."
Chief Superintendent Robin Smith said: "The death of one child is deeply saddening for all involved, particularly the family.
"The death of two is deeply, deeply tragic for everyone concerned."

Sealed off ... cops at house near spot where bodies found
He told how Mrs Donnison, a former City insurance manager, was "clearly suffering distress" when she entered the police station. He said: "She had self-inflicted injuries on her arm."
Paramedics called to the car were sent home early from their duties because they were so traumatised.
Police who launched a murder inquiry sealed off a £500,000 house less than 100m away.
Mrs Donnison lived in the six-bedroom property with the kids and husband Paul until her marriage hit the rocks.
The house was put on the market before Christmas and a "sold" sign was posted outside last night.
The mum moved to a rented three-bedroom house in Lightwater, Surrey.

Investigation ... the car in which the children's bodies were found is taken away
Neighbours said they had seen a woman living there, but no children. A police car was parked outside last night.

The T-reg Nissan Note car in which the bodies were found was taken on a low loader to a police compound, where forensic officers were scouring it.
The Donnisons also had another child named Mia who was born in 2003 but died eight months later of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, commonly known as cot death.
The mother's sons from the previous marriage are William, 16, and Oliver, 13.
The lads' father, her first husband Derek McCrow, 55, said last night: "I have heard and I'm very sorry."
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He lives with his second family in Etchingham, seven miles from Heathfield, Mrs Donnison worked as a credit manager for a Lloyds syndicate before quitting the City.
In her Friends Reunited listing, she describes her children as "wonderful" and says: "Now a lady of leisure - although hopefully that won't be for too long."
She posted a photo of little Elise taken in July last year.
It was accompanied by the poignant words: "My beautiful daughter - I know I'm biased!"
A neighbour in Heathfield said of her: "She also has two other boys who are both young teenagers. My best friend has been looking after them all afternoon.
"They have not stopped crying. They can't believe that this has happened. They are also asking for their mum."

The woman, who did not want to be named, added: "How can somebody do this? It's terrible."
Another neighbour, 61-year-old Jill Radford, said: "There were two young children and there were always toys in the garden.
"I heard the couple separated just before Christmas and put the house up for sale.
"I didn't know anything about this until I got home at 4pm today and saw all the police activity. It is desperately sad."
m.sullivan@the-sun.co.uk

Additional reporting: ANTHONY FRANCE, ROB SINGH, RICHARD WHITE, TOM WELLS AND CAROLINE GRANT

This woman had previously (in 2004) lost a child to cot death. Awful, but I can't help wondering if she couldn't cope with that child either. Experts were slated when they suggested that parents were sometimes to blame for cot deaths..
At least she has had the courage to admit her act of madness.

fedrules wrote:This woman had previously (in 2004) lost a child to cot death. Awful, but I can't help wondering if she couldn't cope with that child either. Experts were slated when they suggested that parents were sometimes to blame for cot deaths..
At least she has had the courage to admit her act of madness.

It must be a horrible place to be that you would kill your children. I know a lot of mothers suffer pre natal depression but this has to go deeper than that. I wonder what triggers in the minds of people who kill their kids. I agree that she did have the courage to admit what she had done. She could have buried the kids somewhere and screamed kidnap. I hope she gets the help she obviously needs. Rip little kiddies you are in my thoughts

Surprise, surprise!!! I despair, I really do.

Child murder suspect Fiona Donnison was ‘known’ to police

January 29, 2010

Police had had “previous contact” with a mother who allegedly murdered her two young children, officers revealed today, as they waited to question her upon her release from hospital.

Post mortem examinations on the bodies of Harry, 3, and Elise, 2, which were discovered in two sports bags in the boot of their mother’s car, showed that they had been asphyxiated.

Shortly before, Fiona Donnison had walked into a Sussex police station. There were unconfirmed reports today that her children had been dead for up to a week.

Ms Donnison, a former insurance manager with a Lloyds syndicate, has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is being treated in Eastbourne District General Hospital for what police said were “apparent self-harm injuries”. Her condition is described as stable and police were hopeful they could start questioning her this morning.

Ms Donnison, 43, had shared the family home in Heathfield, East Sussex, with the two children and her husband Paul, an underwriter, before the couple split shortly before Christmas. It is now cordoned off by police.

Less than 100 metres from the three-storey detached house, which is for sale, police removed the car in which the bodies were found.

Sussex Police confirmed tonight that officers had been in contact with the family “within the last few months”. A spokesman said the nature of the contact could not be revealed but that it would be “reviewed in liaison with appropriate agencies”.

East Sussex County Council could not disclose whether the children were known to its child protection team. A spokesman said the council was assisting the police investigation.

For several months, Ms Donnison had been living with the two children in a rented home in Lightwater, Surrey, and this house was also cordoned off today. Her two teenage sons from a previous relationship, William, 16, and Oliver, 13, had been living with their father Derek McCrow, 55, in nearby Etchingham.

It was disclosed today that in 2003 Ms Donnison gave birth to a daughter Mia, who died months later from sudden infant death syndrome.

A member of staff at Lightwater Pre-School today described Harry as a “fun-loving” member of the school. Wendy Brooks said: “This news is devastating. We have Harry and Elise in our thoughts and send our heartfelt sympathy to the family.”

Heathfield is a small market town surrounded by the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has crime rates seven times lower than the national average.

While local police officers returned to their routine duties — helping to extricate a car stuck in the muddy bowls club field and hurrying up delivery lorries on double yellow lines — residents said the tragedy would scar the town. One neighbour who asked not to be named, said: “There’s been nothing like this in my lifetime.”

The spot where police discovered the bodies in the car was marked by eight bouquets, a yellow Teletubby toy and a fluffy dog. One message read: “Sleep tight innocent babies XX.”

Few people knew Ms Donnison and her husband. One neighbour said her only encounter with the family had been when she returned their pet dog to the house after it wandered on to the road. “Ms Donnison didn’t even thank me,” she said.

Sussex Police Chief Superintendent Robin Smith said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths. He said that a “clearly distressed” Ms Donnison had come into Heathfield police station at about 11am on Wednesday.

“As a result of what she said to us, members of my team were sent to a car. Inside that car, sadly, they found the bodies of two young children.”

The tragedy had made a “huge impact” on the local community, he said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7007156.ece

God those poor kids....I can't bear stories like this.

Rest in peace now little ones x

eddie wrote: God those poor kids....I can't bear stories like this.

Rest in peace now little ones x

In Memoriam Of Little Brother & Sister Harry and Elise Donnison

https://missingmadeleine.forumotion.net/light-a-candle-f22/in-memoriam-of-little-brother-sister-harry-and-elise-donnison-t7633.htm#162048

Its the very least we can do to remember these poor angels Eddie :) Such a tragic & deeply upsetting end to two innocent young lives.

It is tragic that the lives of these poor little mites couldn't be saved. How dreadful for their father as well.

two separate sports bags in the boot.

That bit jumped out at me!

Mother Fiona Donnison charged with toddler murders

Saturday, 30 January 2010

The mother of two toddlers found dead in the boot of a car in East Sussex has been charged with their murders.

Fiona Donnison, 43, will appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court later accused of murdering Harry Donnison, three, and his sister Elise, two.

Following a medical assessment, Mrs Donnison, of Lightwater, Surrey, was released into police custody late on Friday evening.

The children were found in holdalls in a car in Heathfield on Wednesday.

Mrs Donnison was charged in the early hours of 30 January after being taken to Eastbourne custody centre by police following her assessment at the local district general hospital.

She is accused of killing her son and daughter between 26 and 27 January.

Post-mortem tests carried out on Thursday showed that the toddlers had been dead for less than 24 hours when they were discovered.

The car in which they were found, a silver Nissan discovered in Mill Close, was towed away for analysis.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8488784.stm

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Fiona-Morag-Donnison-Of-Surrey-Is-Charged-With-Murders-Of-Her-Children-Harry-And-Elise/Article/201001415538596?lpos=UK_News_First_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15538596_Fiona_Morag_Donnison_Of_Surrey_Is_Charged_With_Murders_Of_Her_Children_Harry_And_Elise

Funeral for East Sussex toddlers found in car boot

Thursday, 18 March 2010



The funeral takes place later of two toddlers whose mother has been accused of their murder after they were found in the boot of a car.

The service for Harry Donnison, three, and sister Elise, two, is being held at Mortlake Crematorium in London.

The bodies of the children were discovered in holdalls in the boot of a Nissan car near the former family home in Heathfield.

Their mother, Fiona Donnison, 43, has been charged with their murder.

Police officers discovered the bodies after Ms Donnison visited a local police station in a distressed state on 27 January.

'Bright lights'

Ms Donnison, of Marshwood Road, Lightwater, Surrey, was remanded in a medium-secure psychiatric unit at The Dene institution in West Sussex, charged with their murders.

Post-mortem examination results showed the children died from asphyxia and had been dead for less than 24 hours when they were found.

Their father Paul Donnison described Harry and Elise as the "the lights that shone the brightest in my life" and is expected to read a eulogy at the service.

Ms Donnison is not expected to attend the service.

She is due to appear for a plea and case management hearing at Lewes Crown Court on 23 April.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8573893.stm

Funeral For Toddlers Found Dead In Mum's Car

1:59pm UK, Thursday March 18, 2010

Tom Bonnett, Sky News Online
Two toddlers who were found dead in the boot of their mother's car have been buried together in a pink and blue double coffin covered in moons and stars.

Elise and Harry Donnison's mother has been charged with the children's murders

The bodies of two-year-old sister Elise Donnison and her three-year-old brother Harry were discovered after their mother Fiona Donnison, 43, arrived at a police station in a distressed state.

Police searched her Nissan car parked near the children's home in Heathfield, East Sussex and found the pair dead in separate holdalls.

Initial post-mortem results showed the children died from asphyxia and had been dead for less than 24 hours when they were found.

Fiona Donnison, of Marshwood Road, Lightwater, Surrey, was remanded to a psychiatric unit and charged with their murders.

At the toddler's funeral in Richmond a single piper led the procession as mourners entered Mortlake Crematorium.

Two teddy bears sat on top of floral tributes, again one blue and one pink for the brother and sister.

The coffin of Harry and Elsie Donnison arrives at Mortlake Crematorium in Richmond, London

Paul Donnison, the childrens' father, was one of the first to arrive and was comforted by family and friends.

He read a poem he had written in tribute to his children as part of his eulogy.
*****************
It read:

They are Gone

You can shed tears that they are gone

or you can smile because they have lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that they'll come back

or you can open your eyes and see all they left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see them or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember them and only that they're gone or you can cherish their memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what they'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

Goodnight Harry and Elise, until I see you again, Dad.


___________________________________________________


Oh my God, that has left me in tears.....that is something a parent should never have to write.....

she rented the house in lightwater from a friend of mine. the lease was just about up when this all happened. he spent two days hiding from the press. said she was quiet.

eddie wrote:

He read a poem he had written in tribute to his children as part of his eulogy.
*****************
It read:

They are Gone

You can shed tears that they are gone

or you can smile because they have lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that they'll come back

or you can open your eyes and see all they left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see them or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember them and only that they're gone or you can cherish their memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back or you can do what they'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

Goodnight Harry and Elise, until I see you again, Dad.


___________________________________________________


Oh my God, that has left me in tears.....that is something a parent should never have to write.....

Me too, what a beautiful poem