Oldham mum found guilty of murdering son, 5, by poisoning him with antidepressants

A 38-year-old woman has been found guilty of murdering her five-year-old son at their home in Oldham.

At 6.15 pm on New Year’s Eve 2021, Claire Scanlon left her house on Elm Road in Oldham, ran to her uncle’s house opposite and told them her son, Dylan, was not breathing or moving.

Members of her family went over to her house and found Dylan lifeless in a double bed in the main bedroom of the house with numerous bruises on his face and body.

A neighbour had heard both Claire and Dylan’s voices through the wall at 2 am that morning, which was the last time he was heard alive.

In the days leading up to his death, Scanlan had sent her ex-partner, Dylan’s father, abusive messages and voicemails telling him he would never see his son again.

Police found a note in the house that suggested she had planned for both herself and Dylan to die.

She gave different reasons for his bruises to family and to the paramedics to cover for the fact she had beaten him and given him her anti-depressants.

Toxicological analysis showed that Dylan had been poisoned with Mirtazapine, an anti-depressant which was prescribed to Claire Scanlon.

He had a level of the drug in his system which was nine times what would be fatal in an adult and also had a significant number of bruises to his head and body.

After a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, Claire Scanlon was found guilty of murder.

Nicola Carter, Senior Crown Prosecutor for North West CPS said: "Claire Scanlon’s role as a parent was to love and protect her son from harm, but she took the ultimate step to take her young son Dylan away from her ex-partner

"She initially told her family that a ladder had fallen on Dylan, then a short time later she told a paramedic that he had fallen down some steps.

"The truth was that she had deliberately poisoned and beaten him.

"I would like to offer my sincere sympathies to Dylan’s loved ones including his grandfather, father and brother who gave evidence at the trial.

"They not only have to come to terms with his loss, but also the manner in which he died."

In the days after Dylan was killed, his dad paid tribute, saying Dylan was his "best friend", and "a happy, funny and cheeky little boy, who was full of excitement" and said he would be "sadly missed by all family and friends, especially his brother, who he loved and absolutely adored."