SON OF TEEN KILLER MURDERED BY ADOPTIVE DAD: DAVEY FAMILY BLOOD CURSE STRIKES AGAIN?
Preston Davey entered the world under the shadow of unimaginable tragedy. Born inside prison on June 16, 2022, to his 14-year-old mother Sarah Davey — a notorious “female monster” convicted of brutally murdering an elderly woman in 1998 — the infant was ripped from her arms just five days later. What should have been a chance at a fresh start ended in horror less than four months after he was placed with his adoptive parents. Preston’s short life, marked by severe abuse at the hands of those entrusted to protect him, has sparked painful questions about the adoption process, systemic failures, and whether his mother’s violent past influenced rushed decisions.
Sarah Davey’s own story is one of early infamy. At just 14, she and her friend Lisa Healey tortured and killed 71-year-old widow Lily Lilley in Failsworth, Greater Manchester. The pair befriended the pensioner, then subjected her to a horrific ordeal: squirting shampoo in her eyes, cutting her with a knife, and gagging her so tightly that her dentures were forced down her throat, leading to suffocation. They dumped her body in a wheelie bin and threw it into the Rochdale Canal. The teenagers spent the victim’s pension on crisps and sweets. Davey received an indeterminate life sentence, described by the judge as an “unspeakably wicked” crime. She has been in and out of prison for decades.
Preston was born prematurely at Wythenshawe Hospital while his mother was navigating her troubled life. Oldham Council immediately issued an emergency care order, placing him with foster parents where he thrived for the first nine months. Described as a sweet, bubbly baby with a bright smile, Preston seemed poised for a loving home.
In January 2023, Jamie Varley, a 37-year-old secondary school teacher and head of year, and his partner John McGowan-Fazakerley, 32, a sales manager in finance, were approved for adoption by Adoption Now. The couple, who met in Manchester in 2018 and lived in Blackpool, Lancashire, had long dreamed of starting a family. Preston moved in with them on April 1, 2023, at around nine months old.
What followed was a nightmare. Over the next four months, Preston suffered extensive physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. A post-mortem examination revealed more than 40 external and internal trauma injuries, consistent with forcible penetration and repeated assaults. He was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital three times in the weeks before his death with suspicious injuries, including an elbow issue. Social workers and medical professionals noted concerns but ultimately cleared the home.
On July 27, 2023, at just 13 months old, Preston was rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead that evening. Varley claimed the boy had drowned in the bath, but evidence told a different story: acute upper airway obstruction, possibly from smothering or objects inserted into his mouth. Police found indecent images and videos taken by the couple.
The trial at Preston Crown Court in 2026 laid bare the horrors. On June 18, 2026, Jamie Varley was convicted of Preston’s murder, two counts of assault by penetration, five counts of cruelty to a child, grievous bodily harm, sexual assault, and multiple counts related to indecent images. He received a whole-life order at HMP Wakefield. John McGowan-Fazakerley was sentenced to 25 years for allowing the death of a child, child cruelty, and sexual assault.
Preston’s biological mother, Sarah Davey, now in her 40s, expressed her devastation in court. “Preston should be here today… instead, he is forever 13 months old,” she said. “The second he was placed in my arms, I fell completely in love with him.” She vowed never to forgive the men who killed her son and spoke of living with unimaginable daily pain.
The case has ignited fierce debate. Critics question whether authorities fast-tracked the adoption due to Sarah Davey’s notorious criminal history, potentially overlooking red flags in the adoptive parents’ assessments. A safeguarding review by Oldham Council was paused during the criminal proceedings. Preston’s foster parents had cared for him lovingly, and his removal from that stable environment into what became a house of horrors raises profound concerns about child protection systems.
The lavish home Varley and McGowan-Fazakerley purchased days after the murder — later put back on the market — stood in stark contrast to the suffering that occurred behind closed doors. Neighbors knew them for holiday decorations, unaware of the depravity within.
Preston Davey’s story is a heartbreaking reminder of the vulnerabilities in the adoption and safeguarding systems. His brief life, stolen by those meant to nurture him, demands accountability and reform to prevent future tragedies. As his mother mourns a child she barely knew but loved instantly, society must confront how “perfect” couples can hide monstrous intentions — and whether the “blood curse” of his family’s past played any unintended role in sealing his fate.