A mother of two young boys tragically murdered by their father has shared the heartbreaking account of the moments she spent cradling her dying sons. Claire Throssell’s sons, Jack, 12, and Paul, 9, lost their lives after their father, Darren Sykes, deliberately set fire to their home in Penistone, near Sheffield, resulting in a fatal outcome in October 2014.
Despite Claire’s repeated warnings to social services, the courts, and Cafcas, a legal guideline called “presumption of contact” allowed her abusive ex-husband unsupervised access to the children, leading to the devastating incident.
After years of advocacy, Claire has authored a poignant book chronicling her fight to change this guideline to protect other vulnerable children from similar tragedies.
In a poignant recollection, Claire described the heart-wrenching moment when she was called to bid farewell to her son, Paul, as he passed away in her arms at Sheffield Children’s Hospital…
This unbearable loss was compounded by the critical condition of her other son, Jack, who had to be transferred to a specialist burns unit in Manchester.
Despite a valiant fight for survival, Jack’s health deteriorated, and on October 27, 2014, Claire faced the unbearable reality of losing her second son. The emotional turmoil of witnessing Jack’s desperate battle culminated in a heartbreaking farewell as Claire held him close, whispering words of love and strength.
The deep pain and trauma inflicted by the heinous act of their father left Claire shattered, but with a newfound determination to advocate for changes in child custody laws to prevent similar tragedies.
Claire’s emotional journey and advocacy efforts are captured in her book, “For My Boys,” which calls for governmental reforms in contact guidelines to safeguard children. To support her cause and honor Jack and Paul’s memory, Claire’s book is now available for readers.
For those in need of support in toxic relationships, organizations like Women’s Aid, Samaritans, and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline offer assistance and guidance. In emergencies, dial 999 for immediate help.