IT WASN’T JUST PRESTON DAVEY: How Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s shocking failures left TWO innocent little boys to die in agony just days apart
The nation is still reeling from the unimaginable horror inflicted on tiny Preston Davey, the smiling 13-month-old baby boy brutally murdered by the very men who were supposed to love and protect him. But as the full scale of the scandal surrounding his short, tortured life emerges, a second heartbreaking tragedy has resurfaced – one that unfolded at the very same hospital, mere hours apart.
Two little boys. Two separate families. Two devastating deaths that expose a system in crisis. The similarities are chilling – and the questions they raise about safeguarding failures at Blackpool Victoria Hospital are impossible to ignore.
Preston Davey, with his cherubic face and infectious giggle, should have been safe. Instead, he endured months of sickening sexual and physical abuse at the hands of his adoptive ‘fathers’ before being killed in July 2023. And just one day before one of his desperate hospital visits, another toddler – two-year-old Damion Russell – was seen in the same A&E department with suspicious bruising that staff failed to properly investigate. Weeks later, Damion too was dead, murdered in a ‘horrifically violent’ attack by his own father.
As grieving families, campaigners, and now senior ministers demand answers, the spotlight has turned on Blackpool Victoria Hospital and the wider network of agencies meant to protect vulnerable children. How could warning signs be missed not once, but twice, in such quick succession? Why were red flags ignored? And what does this double tragedy say about the state of child protection in Britain today?
The Short, Joyful Life of Little Preston – Shattered by Monsters
Born on 16 June 2022 at Wythenshawe Hospital in Greater Manchester, Preston Davey entered the world under difficult circumstances. His biological mother, Sarah Davey, faced her own challenges, and the baby was swiftly placed into care. Described by those who knew him as a happy, healthy, bubbly little boy, Preston thrived in foster care. At nine months old, in April 2023, he was placed for adoption with Jamie Varley, a 37-year-old secondary school teacher, and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, a finance sales manager, in Blackpool.
On paper, it seemed like a dream come true – a stable home for a child who deserved the world. But behind closed doors in their Blackpool home, a nightmare unfolded over just four short months.
Court evidence later revealed that Preston suffered “unremitting abuse” including sexual assaults, physical beatings, and emotional torment. He was treated as a “plaything” by Varley, who took and distributed indecent images of the helpless infant. The couple’s cruelty escalated with shocking speed.
In the weeks before his death, Preston was rushed to Blackpool Victoria Hospital three times. First with a nosebleed and seizure. Then with a rash and bruising. Finally, with a fractured left elbow – injuries that should have screamed abuse to any trained professional.
Yet time and again, the alarms failed to trigger meaningful intervention. On one occasion, a safeguarding referral was made to police, but it was closed after a consultant reportedly saw “nothing to worry about.” Social workers visited the home multiple times. Still, Preston’s suffering continued.
On 27 July 2023, Varley carried the lifeless body of little Preston into Blackpool Victoria Hospital. He claimed the toddler had drowned in the bath after being left alone for a few minutes. But medics found no water in his lungs. A post-mortem examination uncovered around 40 deliberate injuries – bruises, fractures, and horrific evidence of sexual abuse. Preston had been assaulted and killed in a final, fatal act of violence.
Jamie Varley was convicted of murder, multiple counts of child cruelty, sexual offences against a child, and possessing/distributing indecent images. He received a life sentence with a minimum term that ensures he will never walk free. His partner McGowan-Fazakerley was convicted of allowing the death of a child, child cruelty, and sexual assault, receiving 25 years.
The judge at Preston Crown Court described the case as one of the most disturbing he had encountered. Preston’s biological family spoke of “unimaginable pain,” knowing their boy had been failed at every turn by the very system designed to protect him.
Enter Damion Russell: The Second Toddler Failed by the Same Hospital
As details of Preston’s case dominated headlines in 2026, another name began to surface in safeguarding reviews and media reports: Damion Russell.
Just days before one of Preston’s hospital visits – specifically on 29 June 2023 – two-year-old Damion was brought to the A&E department at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Staff noticed a bruise on the toddler’s head. Under standard safeguarding protocols, this should have prompted immediate questions to his father, Daniel Hardcastle, about the cause. Old bruising, unexplained injuries on a young child – these are textbook red flags.
Yet, according to reports, medics did not properly challenge Hardcastle or escalate concerns sufficiently. Damion was treated and sent home.
Less than eight weeks later, on 19 August 2023, Damion was dead. The two-year-old had suffered a traumatic head injury in a “horrifically violent” attack at the hands of his father. Daniel Hardcastle, 31, was later convicted of his murder at Preston Crown Court.
A safeguarding practice review into Damion’s death highlighted the missed opportunity at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. The failure to question the suspicious bruising was cited as a critical lapse. Like Preston, Damion had been in the care system previously before being returned to his father’s care.
The timing is what has left the public stunned. Two vulnerable little boys, seen at the same hospital within a day of each other in late June/early July 2023, both carrying injuries consistent with abuse. Both went on to die violent deaths at the hands of the adults entrusted with their care. Both cases exposed gaps in communication between health services, social workers, police, and adoption agencies.
A Hospital – and a System – Under Intense Scrutiny
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Blackpool Victoria Hospital, now faces intense examination as part of broader reviews into Preston Davey’s death. Independent experts appointed by Children’s Minister Peter MacAlister are scrutinising the roles of Oldham Council, the Adoption Now agency, and the hospital trust itself.
Questions abound: Why weren’t repeat presentations by Preston flagged more aggressively? Why was the bruise on Damion’s head not pursued? Were overstretched staff missing training? Was there a culture of hesitancy in raising concerns, perhaps fearing “over-intervention”?
Campaigners and child protection experts have been vocal. One review noted at least ten contacts with agencies in Preston’s short life – yet nothing stopped the horror. For Damion, similar missed chances.
The tragedies have ignited fierce debate across the UK. Calls for mandatory reporting reforms, better training for A&E staff on non-accidental injuries, improved data sharing between agencies, and even a national inquiry into adoption and fostering safeguards are growing louder.
Grieving relatives of both boys have spoken movingly of their loss. Preston’s mother expressed the agony of knowing her son suffered so much in what should have been his forever home. Damion’s family has fought for justice and a proper funeral, which took place months after his death amid public outcry.
The Human Cost: Lives Cut Short, Families Destroyed
Behind the headlines and the inquiries are two families shattered beyond repair. Preston’s infectious smile, captured in cherished photos, now serves as a heartbreaking reminder of innocence lost. Damion, a bonny toddler full of life, had his future stolen in a moment of unimaginable rage.
These are not isolated incidents. They shine a harsh light on systemic vulnerabilities affecting the most defenceless in society. In an era where child protection should be paramount, repeated failures raise profound questions about accountability.
As the reviews continue, one thing is clear: Preston Davey and Damion Russell deserved better. Their deaths must not be in vain. The nation watches, demands change, and mourns two little boys whose lives were tragically brief – but whose stories will fuel calls for reform for years to come.
The pain of their families is eternal. The questions for the authorities? They demand urgent answers.
This article is based on court reports, official reviews, and public statements surrounding these tragic cases. Names and details have been reported as per public records.