Woman abandons boy in dark woods with no shoes on

A woman abandoned a nine-year-old boy in a dark wooded area in East Lothian before claiming he had gone missing.

Ashley McGovern, 31, drove the child to Brock Wood near the village of Spott on 9 September 2022, leaving him without shoes or socks and no food or water.

A large-scale emergency search was launched and the boy was discovered 24 hours later when a dog walker happened to hear him crying. He had injuries to his chest and neck as well as brain injuries, and there was evidence of cocaine and alcohol in his system.

McGovern admitted wilfully neglecting the boy to his severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life.

She also pled guilty to a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Warning: This story contains details some readers may find upsetting

On the day he was abandoned, the boy had spent time in the company of others, including McGovern.

He was described as his "usual self" and in "good spirits" as he played with friends.

At about 19:00, the child got into McGovern's car and she drove into the countryside and parked in a lay-by next to the wood.

Prosecutor Alan Cameron KC said the sun had set for the evening and there was no other source of light in the area.

He added: "The boy was known to be afraid of the dark."

There had also been heavy rain that day making the woods muddy.

At about 20:00, McGovern got back into her car without the boy.

The child was wearing a short-sleeved polo shirt and jogging bottoms, and he had no food or water.

After returning to her car, McGovern sent a text to a man asking if he had seen the boy, and the man immediately began looking for him.

McGovern initially told her own father that the boy was "missing".

She claimed to have dropped the child off near the house of a man she knew for him to collect his bike and ride it back, but he had not returned.

She repeated the same claims to police.

About 80 police officers, the force helicopter as well as mountain rescue and the coastguard were deployed in a "significant search operation", the court heard.

The boy was finally discovered at about 19:00 the next day after a resident heard a child crying.

The man went with his dog and followed the sound until he found the boy deep in the woods off a path.

The boy was still wearing the same clothes he had on the previous night, but he had no shoes or socks on.

He confirmed his name, but appeared "extremely confused" and struggled to stand. Two pools of blood were found nearby.

Emergency services were alerted before he was stretchered into an ambulance and taken to hospital.

The court was told how he had injuries to his chest and neck as well as a suspected ankle fracture.

Further tests revealed he had suffered a brain injury caused by lack of oxygen.

One specialist said his brain injuries could have been due to the ingestion of cocaine, which was found in a urine sample taken from the boy after he was found.

A hair sample was taken from the boy in November 2022 which indicated he had been exposed to drugs over a period beginning in late June 2022.

It was difficult to say exactly when he was exposed or with what quantity, but the findings suggested he had been exposed on more than one occasion.

The boy was not interviewed until November 2023 as it was not deemed appropriate before then.

Mr Cameron said he spoke about the incident, but his account at times was "confused and contradictory" regarding how he ended up in the woods or who took him.

The lawyer added: "He did not state that McGovern was responsible."

McGovern had initially been arrested days after the boy was found, but then released.

She was charged a week later and made no comment.

Her KC John Scullion said: "She is certainly not someone who finds it easy to provide information.

"There have been issues in her life most notably her misuse of drugs. She has taken steps to address that problem."

She had been on bail but judge Lord Young remanded McGovern in custody as the case was adjourned for sentencing next month.