Alice Mackey, a mother of a two-year-old, has admitted to manslaughter in the death of her daughter, Annabel Mackey. The tragic case, which began in 2023, has recently taken a new turn, leaving many stunned.
On July 28, 2025, Alice Mackey admitted to manslaughter at Winchester Crown Court. Her appearance followed her 2023 arrest for the death of her two-year-old daughter. Police received a call on September 10, 2023, reporting that Annabel was missing from her home in Oakhanger, Kingsley. A short while later, the toddler was found unresponsive in Kingsley Pond, roughly 350 yards from her home. She was taken to the hospital, where she died the following afternoon.
The 42-year-old mother was charged with murder in March 2025. However, she denied the charge, and a report from two psychiatrists concluded that she had been in a state of “diminished responsibility” at the time of the incident, which was accepted by the prosecution. Annabel’s father, Peter Mackey, paid tribute to his daughter in a statement released by the police. He described Annabel as a “beautiful, positive and very happy little girl,” who was “dearly loved by her family and friends.” He ended his tribute with a plea for more kindness and positivity in the world and a final message to his daughter: “Annabel, I love you so much, you are a shining star and you will be loved forever x.” The child’s mother has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear again at Winchester Crown Court on October 6, 2025, for a hearing ahead of sentencing.
A Community in Mourning
In a separate, but equally heartbreaking incident, a Northern Ireland mother and her two children were discovered dead in their County Fermanagh home. Vanessa Whyte and her two teenage children, son James Rutledge and daughter Sara Rutledge, were found dead in their home in the village of Maguiresbridge on Wednesday, July 23, 2025. All three victims died from gunshot wounds.
Police were first alerted to the incident on Wednesday morning when a call was made from inside the house at approximately 7:50 a.m. Authorities believe the shooting occurred just moments before officers arrived. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service dispatched three emergency vehicles and an air ambulance to the scene, but despite their efforts, they were unable to save the lives of Vanessa, Sara, and James. Authorities confirmed that the suspect, 43-year-old Ian Rutledge, who was a member of the same household, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and later died from his wounds. While the investigation is still in its early stages, police are treating the case as a suspected triple murder followed by an attempted suicide.
The community has paid tribute to Vanessa and her kids. Sara and James were students at Enniskillen Royal Grammar School. On Friday, July 25, large crowds gathered in the grounds of Maguiresbridge Primary School, where the children previously attended, to hold a vigil in memory of the family. The event was attended by members of the community and senior political figures. Religious leaders offered words of comfort, and those present observed a minute’s silence in honor of the victims. At a prayer service, Fr Tom Fitzpatrick addressed those gathered, “Let us remember Vanessa not just by the way she died, but by the life she lived, her smile, her strength, her incredible powerful love for her children. She gave it her all to the very end.” He also spoke fondly of her children, “We remember James and Sara, not just as victims of violence, but as children who played and who laughed and had their favorite stories.”
Sinn Féin MP Pat Cullen has spoken out, expressing sympathy for the victims. “I am thinking of their families and those wee children’s school friends and how it must feel in a close knit community like this. The community is heartbroken, as we are, and totally shocked at the news as any community would be,” she added. The community is indeed heartbroken and devastated. Local resident Margaret Erwin shared that the news has deeply affected everyone in the area. She noted that while such tragedies are always painful, having it happen so close to home makes it especially difficult. Similarly, local resident Ken Hutchinson described the incident as a profound shock for the entire community. He said the tragedy stands in stark contrast to the usual calm of the village and expressed disbelief that children had lost their lives in such circumstances.