A mother who was wrongly convicted of murdering two of her three cot death children has been banned from seeing her new granddaughter by her surviving daughter.
Angela Cannings was falsely accused of smothering her two sons, 18-week-old Matthew in 1999 and seven-week-old Jason in 1991.
She was jailed in 2002 but sensationally freed the following year after the evidence of controversial paediatrician Sir Roy Meadow was discredited.
Angela Cannings with her baby Jason who died in 1991. She was jailed in 2002 but sensationally freed the following year after the evidence of controversial paediatrician Sir Roy Meadow was discredited
Her last surviving child, Jade Cannings, pictured in 2014, has given birth to a daughter, Ava
The Appeal Court decided the boys had not been smothered but were victims of cot death, like the couple’s first-born, Gemma, who died in 1989 aged 13 weeks.
Now her last surviving child, Jade Cannings, has given birth to a daughter, Ava.
But in 2014, when she was 18, Miss Cannings cut her mother out of her life, declaring: ‘I don’t want her to ever contact me again or be part of my life.’
The 23-year-old – who lives in Saltash with her partner Jack, 24 – is staying tight lipped about her new addition, but Miss Canning’s proud father Terry, 65, yesterday stressed Mrs Cannings ‘cannot see the baby.’
He said: ‘It is 100 per cent correct she wants no contact with Angela. Jade will not let Angela see the baby. Angela has not seen the baby and will not be seeing the baby.
‘Jade now just considers Angela as her birth mother – nothing else. Jade has a young daughter but has 18 years of history of three babies dying.’
Then: Angela Cannings and her daughter Jade at eight-years-old. Jade and her mother’s relationship has since fallen apart
Matthew Cannings, one of Angela Cannings’ children that tragically died of cot death in his infancy
Gemma Cannings (left) and Jason Cannings (right), two of Angela Cannings’ children that died at an early age from cot death
But Mr Cannings – who also lives in Saltash – was adamant he will be there to support his daughter.
He said: ‘This has given me a new lease of life. I am very proud of my daughter.
‘Ava is lovely. She is beautiful. I am a very proud granddad. This is something I never thought would happen because of the journey Jade went on.’
It was five years ago, when she was 18 that Jade decided never to see her mother again.
She then said: ‘I never want to see her again. I really do not want her in my life.’
In an interview in 2014, Miss Cannings said she found her mother unwilling to answer questions about her brothers and sisters.
She added: ‘Over the years I asked my mum again and again to tell me what happened. She always said, ‘Forget about them. They’re not here any more. We don’t need to talk about them.’ ‘
Jade Cannings holding her baby brother Matthew in 1999. Angela Cannings was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2002 for killing her two sons. She was freed the following year after the evidence of controversial paediatrician Sir Roy Meadow was discredited
At the time she also questioned why her mother could not have helped her deal with the tragedy’s dreadful legacy.
She said: ‘I don’t feel sorry for her. It sounds horrible, but I don’t. I don’t ever want to see or speak to her again.
If you had lost three children like that how could you just forget them? I didn’t, my dad didn’t: why did she want to?
‘I was pleased the court cleared her but it didn’t help me move on in my life because she wouldn’t answer my questions.
‘I can’t remember Gemma and Jason because I wasn’t born when they were alive. But I often think of Matthew because although I must have been very little, I do have memories of trying to help look after him.’
The 23-year-old carer has been with her partner for seven years and they have now bought their own house together.
Sir Roy Meadow, Pediatrician arrives at the General Medical Council hearing (left) charged with serious professional misconduct on June 21, 2005 in London. (Right) Angela Cannings arriving the same hearing
Mrs Cannings has re-married and lives in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
She said: ‘It is no comment. I have no comment to make. Please don’t take it any further – just walk away it is no comment.’
Miss Cannings was nearly five when four month old Matthew was found dead. Gemma and Jason had already died.
In November 1999 Mrs Cannings was initially arrested on suspicion of murdering all three babies.
But the Crown Prosecution Service only pursued murder charges for the deaths of Jason and Matthew
She was given a life sentence at Winchester Crown Court before being freed in dramatic scenes at the Court of Appeal.