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By Press Association 2021
Jake and Chloe Ford
The parents of a mother who drowned her toddler twins have said there were “missed opportunities” to help their daughter as a coroner ruled the deaths as unlawful killing.
Samantha Ford killed her 23-month-old children Jake and Chloe on Boxing Day 2018 at her home in Castle Drive, Margate, Kent, after her split from their father Steven Ford a few months beforehand.
Mr Justice Edis sentenced Ford to 10 years at the Old Bailey in August 2019, to be served in a psychiatric unit.
She had denied murder but admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility.
Following a week-long inquest which heard that Ford suffered an acute stress reaction to the ending of her marriage, coroner Christopher Sutton-Mattocks reached a conclusion of unlawful killing.
Coroner rejects claims Samantha Ford was failed by mental health teams before she killed her children in Margate
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Updated: 18:18, 15 January 2021
The father of twin babies drowned by their own mother says he can finally grieve in peace after a coroner rejected claims his estranged wife had been failed by mental health teams.
Samantha Ford was jailed for 10 years in 2019 for killing her 23-month-old children - Chloe and Jake - at their home in Margate on Boxing Day the year before.
Samantha Ford
The horrific crime was described as a twisted act of vengeance against her estranged husband when she appeared before the Old Bailey.
Samantha Ford killed twin children Jake and Chloe in Kent on Boxing Day, 2018
The 39-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in a psychiatric unit in August 2019
She denied murder but admitted manslaughter by diminished capacity at court
Coroner ruled children s deaths were unlawful killings after week-long inquest
Now, Samantha s parents have said they remain concerned there were missed opportunities to save their grandchildren as mother Samantha had sought help