MYSTERY surrounds the progress of a probe into the death of a toddler who was being monitored by Thurrock Council's children's services department.

An exclusive investigation by the Thurrock Independent newspaper into the death of 23-month-old Katie Eloise Eden, which happened in Chadwell St Mary's flats complex in January 2018, eventually led to serious case review being launched despite efforts by the council to draw a veil over the issue.

Whistleblowers told the paper that that opportunities were missed to prevent the death of the youngster, who lived with her family at the flats.

The cause of her death has never been established.

The newspaper's reports forced the hand of the council to launch an investigation by a barrister specialising in children's care which led to the council implementing a series of changes in how it ran the children's services department.

However, the council said that concerns about Katie Eden's death were 'unsubstantiated'.

Pivotally though, they declined to release the report to the public.

A key concern from critics was that the investigation was paid for by the council - leading to questions about its integrity.

That in turn led to more public pressure and eventually council leader Rob Gledhill confirmed a Serious Case Review would be launched by the Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership. The partnership is run jointly by Thurrock Council, Essex Police and Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group.

Last year members of Katie Eden's family, school staff and others involved with her welfare, were interviewed. But, almost 15 months after the review was announced nothing has been released.

And neither Thurrock Council, Essex Police or the Thurrock CCG will comment about the case.

Thurrock Nubs News has asked all three organisations for an update on how the review is going and a date for publication. We have been met with a virtual wall of silence and none of our questions have been answered.

On 28 Januuary Thurrock Council responded by saying: "Serious Case Reviews are organised by the Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership including publication. Reports are usually published at www.thurrocklscp.org.uk/lscp/professionals/serious-case-reviews."

We said that wasn't an acceptable answer as the matter was of great public interest and the public had a right to know if the review was continuing and when a report might be expected.

Despite asking for a more detailed response, we were met by a 21 day span of further silence until today (21 February) when the council's press office added a brief caveat to its earlier statement, saying it was issuing, on behalf of the Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children's Partnership, the following: "Serious Case Reviews are organised by the Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership including publication. Reports are usually published at www.thurrocklscp.org.uk/lscp/professionals/serious-case-reviews."

Thurrock Nub News editor Neil Speight, who was the editor of the Thurrock Independent, says: "This case remains a stain on the character of Thurrock Council's children's services, an organisiation that has been much maligned and criticised - with good reason as evidenced by the council's appointed barrister and by various previous Ofsted inspections.

"Recently the council has been lauding it big time, patting itself on the back with staff parties and celebrations to mark coming out of the 'requires improvement' status inspectors had put it in. If they have improved, then that is good news, but the council cannot escape accountability for its previous actions.

"The Thurrock Independent challenged Thurrock Council and its chief executive Lyn Carpenter saying 'Don't dare brush this child's death under the carpet'. (Click on link via red information button below).

"Thurrock Nub News repeats that message to Thurrock Council, Essex Police and Thurrock Clinical Care Commission. There has been more than enough time to put the review into Katie's death together - now it is time for the report to be published."