A toddler died while his mother worked a shift in a nightclub – and then spent the night with her new boyfriend.
Little Clyde Campbell was left unattended and uncared for when Amanda Hardie left for work at 7.30pm on February 23, 2014. He was pronounced dead at 3.11pm the next day – almost 20 hours later.
Yesterday, 30-year-old Hardie wept in the dock as she admitted neglecting her son in the five months leading up to his death.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard the former model repeatedly chose work and her relationship over the welfare of her young son, despite admitting to colleagues she had childcare issues.
Clyde, who was born on January 20, 2012, died in his bed from sudden infant death in childhood – or cot death.
The toddler was found motionless in his bed by a concerned neighbour, who desperately tried to save him as he waited for help.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood deferred sentence on Hardie for reports, but warned her: “I have to say that all possible disposals are open to the court for this case as the court has to take seriously what happened.”
Hardie pleaded guilty to wilfully ill-treating, abandoning, neglecting and exposing Clyde to unnecessary suffering or injury in her then flat in Mackintosh Road, Inverness between October 1, 2013 and February 23, 2014.
She admitted leaving him unattended and without adult supervision for prolonged periods, particularly in the dark.
However, the court heard there was no clinical basis to link the neglect to his death.
Fiscal Roderick Urquhart told the court Hardie often left Clyde in her flat while she went to work until the early hours in an Inverness nightclub.
On Saturday, February 15 2014, she worked from around 12.30pm right through until around 3.30am the next day.
Mr Urquhart added: “A neighbour states that over that weekend, while the accused was out at work, she passed the accused’s flat in the evening and heard Clyde Campbell crying and repeatedly asking for his mum. She knocked on the door, but no-one answered and the crying stopped.”
Four days later, Hardie found Clyde in the kitchen with a bottle of cleaning fluid, some of which had spilled on his clothing. She took him to casualty, but he had not swallowed any and was discharged.
Hardie, who now lives at 120 Penbrook, East Kilbride, confided in a colleague two days later that she was struggling for childcare that weekend – yet did not ask for help.
Without arranging any childcare, she did a further shift and spent the following night with her new boyfriend Ian Hill.
Mr Urquhart continued: “Around 7.30pm on Saturday, February 22 2014 the accused left to go to work. She again did not arrange childcare. After finishing work at 4am, the accused went back to Ian Hill’s flat, where they both fell asleep.”
The fiscal added that neighbours became concerned for Clyde, and went round to the flat on February 23.
He went on: “One of them saw that Clyde was lying lifeless in his bed and he contacted the emergency services. He struggled to perform CPR until ambulance staff arrived a short time later and they formally confirmed the child was dead at 3.11pm.
“Realising that something had happened, another neighbour contacted Hardie via Facebook and told her she had to return home as something was wrong.
“Hardie was still with Ian Hill at his home. On waking at around 3.40pm, she discovered the neighbour’s message and contacted her to ask what was wrong. A short time later, the police contacted Hardie and advised her they were dealing with a serious incident and they needed to speak to her about it as soon as possible.
“When she was asked for her current whereabouts and asked if they could pick her up in an unmarked car she refused to say, and hung up when the officer was unwilling to tell her over the phone what exactly it was about. She did however did arrive home a short time later.
“When speaking with officers at the scene, she said she had been out the previous evening and confirmed that there had been no babysitter for Clyde.”
Hardie was in a relationship with Clyde’s father Kevin from about 2005 until late 2013.
Defence counsel Lorenzo Alonzi told the court his client “has a history of mental health problems”, and that he would have a psychiatric report carried out before she reappears for sentencing.
Hardie was crowned the Face of Inverness by agency modelscotland the year before Clyde’s death, after battling severe post-natal depression. She also modelled for the Ann Summers catalogue.
Sheriff Fleetwood deferred sentence until next month.
Timeline: How the tragedy unfolded
- February 15, 2014: Hardie went to work at G’s nightclub at 12.30pm and worked through to 3.30am on Sunday. Clyde Campbell was heard crying and asking for his mum by a neighbour.
- February 19, 2014: Hardie takes Clyde to A&E after he spills cleaning fluid. They are discharged.
- February 21, 2014: Hardie works noon-4pm and 8pm-4am. She confides in a colleague that she is struggling for childcare.
- February 22, 2014: She goes to Ian Hill’s home when she finishes work at 4am and stays there until lunchtime. She goes home, then leaves for work again at about 7.30pm.
- February 23: The day of Clyde’s death.
- 4am: Hardie finishes work and goes back to Hill’s flat, where they both fell asleep.
- Early afternoon: There are concerns about Clyde and a neighbour sees him, lifeless, on his bed and fights desperately to save him. A neighbour sends Hardie a social media message.
- 3.11pm: Clyde is declared dead.
- 3.40pm: Hardie wakes up and finds the message. She contacts her to ask what is wrong – but still does not go home. Police contact her and she refuses to say where she is, but goes home a short time later.