Joanne Sharkey, 55, has admitted to the manslaughter of her newborn son 27 years after his body was found abandoned in a Warrington woodland.
The Discovery of Baby Callum
On March 14, 1998, a dog walker and his son discovered the naked body of a newborn baby boy inside two knotted bin bags near Camp Road, close to Gulliver’s World theme park in Warrington.
The shocking discovery led to a major police investigation, but the case remained unsolved for 25 years.
The baby was named “Baby Callum” after the Callands area where he was found.
Joanne Sharkey’s Arrest & Confession
Sharkey was arrested in 2023 at her Liverpool home.
Upon her arrest, she immediately confessed, saying: “He doesn’t know anything,” referring to her husband Neil Sharkey.
Neil was also arrested but was later released after police determined he had no knowledge of her pregnancy or the baby’s death.
Court Proceedings & Charges
Sharkey was initially charged with murder and concealing the birth of a child on April 15, 2023.
She pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Liverpool Crown Court.
Sentencing is expected in the coming weeks.
This case marks the end of a decades-long search for justice, bringing closure to one of Warrington’s most disturbing unsolved crimes.
