Touching tribute in memory of tragic Baby P

11:29am Friday 5th December 2008

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MORE than 200 red and blue balloons drifted heavenwards as a touching tribute to Baby P.

Supporters turned out to witness the emotional event in Ford Park, Ulverston, last Wednesday (December 3) at 12.10pm– the exact time 16 months ago that the 17-month-old boy was pronounced dead.

His mother pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the toddler’s death and her boyfriend and a lodger were found guilty of the same charge following a trial last month.

Karen Butterfield, of Swarthmoor, Ulverston, organised the special memorial and balloon release after hearing about a similar event taking place in Trafalgar, London.

“I thought I can’t get to London so I want to do something up here,” explained the 34-year-old. “The whole situation of what happened to him just broke my heart. I wanted to do something to raise awareness that he wasn’t and isn’t the only one, there’s so many children out there still suffering. We need to do something to stop it. I wanted to make a statement.”

Mrs Butterfield said that her youngest daughter, two-year-old Teale has curly blonde hair and blue eyes just like Baby P.

“When you’ve got your own kids and you love them so much and would do anything for them you just can’t understand how somebody could do that to their kid.”