Overview
- A jury at Cambridge Crown Court found Emma Barnett guilty of murder on Thursday after an 18‑day trial that examined how her son Oakley died.
- Prosecutors told the court that investigators recovered two baby bottles whose liquids tested positive for the antihistamine promethazine and the antidepressant mirtazapine.
- Police found Barnett and Oakley hiding in a loft on 8 November 2024 after a family court had ordered Oakley’s removal; officers said Barnett first told them he was asleep and later said, “I have killed him.”
- The defence argued the death was accidental or linked to Barnett’s suicidal intent while the prosecution relied on expert evidence that the drugs’ combined effects could cause respiratory compromise; jurors deliberated for six hours before returning a guilty verdict.
- Sentencing is scheduled at Cambridge Crown Court on 5 June 2026 and the case has renewed attention on how family‑court removal decisions and safeguarding actions are carried out.