Mum who left daughter to die watching Tipping Point could have saved her life sheriff rules

A fatal accident inquiry has found that a 13 year old girl who died in agony while watching Tipping Point could still be alive if her mother had allowed her to get medical help.

Robyn Goldie collapsed at home in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, in July 2018 after suffering a perforated stomach ulcer. Her mother, 49 year old Sharon Goldie, had gone to the pub while her daughter was begging for help. When Robyn tried to tell a neighbour she couldn’t breathe, her mother dragged her back inside. Hours later, she died alone in front of the TV, reported the Mirror.

The inquiry heard that Robyn had been feeling unwell for days. By 24 July she was pale, shivering and clearly in distress, but her mother continued to dismiss her symptoms. The court was told the girl also lived in squalid conditions, surrounded by cat urine and faeces, and was left to get fleas.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court, Sheriff Linda Nicolson said: “Had that precaution been taken, it might realistically have resulted in the death being avoided.” She found that Robyn’s mother should have sought medical attention or at least allowed others to step in, but instead she ignored repeated cries for help.

The sheriff also highlighted failures within North Lanarkshire Council’s social work department. She said child protection measures should have been put in place sooner and referrals made to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration earlier.

Nicolson concluded there was “systemic failure on the part of social work” due to poor compliance with policies and a lack of written assessments and supervision. However, she stopped short of saying these failings directly contributed to Robyn’s death.

North Lanarkshire Council responded: “The death of Robyn Goldie was a tragedy. The sheriff found that Robyn’s death could have been prevented by her mother seeking appropriate medical assistance. Robyn’s mother was convicted of neglect and ill-treatment at the High Court in 2020″, reports Daily Record.

The council added that new systems have since been adopted to improve decision-making, recording and information sharing.

Sharon Goldie admitted wilful ill treatment and neglect of her daughter between July 2017 and July 2018 and was jailed for three years and six months in October 2020.

She was accused of failing to provide food, clothing or heating, hitting Robyn, and allowing her to smoke cannabis and drink alcohol. Prosecutors accepted her not guilty plea to culpable homicide.

The court also heard that Goldie herself suffered a traumatic brain injury as a child, which affected her cognitive and physical abilities.

Following the inquiry, Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks said: “Robyn Goldie’s death occurred in circumstances giving rise to significant public concern and as such a discretionary Fatal Accident Inquiry was instructed. This FAI ensured a full public airing of the evidence of the procurator fiscal’s wider investigations. The evidence was tested and the subject of an independent judicial determination.”

He confirmed Robyn’s family have received the sheriff’s findings and added: “Our thoughts are with them at this time.”