Harry and Elise Donnison -- Found Deceased 1/10 -- Fiona Donnison Sentenced To A Minimum Of 32 years

Killler Mum 'Gave her Kids Sedative'

By ANTHONY FRANCE, TOM WELLS, ALEX PEAKE ANDY CRICK and GARY O’SHEA
Published: 29 Jan 2010


MURDERED brother and sister Harry and Elise Donnison cuddle in a cute family photo.

The trusting toddlers are believed to have been killed by marriage-split mum Fiona, 43.

Harry, three, and Elise, two, were found in her car boot when she drove to a police station in Heathfield, East Sussex.

Cops fear the City high-flier drugged and smothered them after knocking them out with sleeping drug Nytol.

Shocked cops found the tots after their deranged mum drove her Nissan to a police station to declare: "I've killed my children."

Donnison, 43, who recently lost her job and just weeks ago split from her husband, was last night under police guard in hospital where she was being treated for slashed wrists.

Detectives were examining what were feared to be suicide notes found beside the tiny corpses - which had been wrapped in bin liners and each stuffed into a separate sports bag.

The mum regularly took over-the-counter Nytol pills.

An overdose can cause asphyxiation but cops believe SHE suffocated the sleeping children.

The toddlers died from lack of breath just hours before they were found, according to police who were trying to piece together the final days of the little victims.

Initial post mortem results showed signs of asphyxiation.

A neighbour in Lightwater, Surrey, told how Mrs Donnison disappeared from her rented house with the two kids last week - then returned ALONE on Saturday to spend the weekend scrubbing the place clean.

Yvonne Meyer, 68, noticed a "to let" sign had already gone up.

She said: "I presumed she'd come to the end of her tenancy and was tidying up the place. You could see her through the windows.

"Her car was there at 8am on Monday but by 9am she'd gone."

Read more:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2830210/Killer-mum-Elise-Donnison-gave-kids-her-sedative.html

Smothered tots dad: 'They were the lights of my life'

By TOM WELLS, ANTHONY FRANCE, RYAN SABEY and ANDY CRICK
Published: 30 Jan 2010

THE father of Harry and Elise Donnison spoke last night for the first time about the tragic toddlers killed by his wife.

Heartbroken Paul Donnison, 46, said: "They were the lights that shone the brightest in my life.

"I am unable to begin to comprehend why this has happened to them.

"I love them with all my heart and they in turn gave me the unconditional love that only a child can give a parent.

"Every day that I saw them was precious and wonderful but I had no idea just how precious.

"They were only babies and I was looking forward to watching them grow up and, with their mum, help them to live their lives.

Touching

"I will always love Harry and Elise and will never let a day go by without thinking of their beauty and the joy they gave to me in their short lives. Sleep well little ones."

He spoke as a touching snap emerged of Harry, three, and two-year-old Elise in the arms of the mother who was to kill them weeks later.

The photo is among snaps on mum Fiona's Facebook page - some uploaded just four days before she drove to a police station to confess: "I've killed my children."

Read more:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2832000/The-father-of-Harry-and-Elise-Donnison-spoke-for-the-first-time-about-the-tragic-toddlers-killed-by-his-wife.html

Sweet dreams: Two children found dead in mother's car boot laid to rest in single blue and pink coffin

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:41 PM on 19th March 2010

Lying side-by-side in a single blue and pink coffin, the bodies of two innocent toddlers found murdered in the boot of their mother's car were laid to rest today.

More than 50 mourners gathered at the funeral of siblings Elise and Harry Donnison - aged two and three - who were allegedly suffocated by their mother Fiona in January.

Their tiny bodies lay in a single coffin, painted pink and blue and covered in stars and moons, with one pink and one blue teddy bear sitting at the foot of the box.


Sad farewell: A tiny pink and blue coffin carrying the bodies of Harry and Elise Donnison arrives at a crematorium in Richmond, London

A lone piper played as the hearse made its way to Mortlake Crematorium in Richmond where mourners, including the children's father Paul, gathered to farewell the toddlers.

At the time of their death in January, Mr Donnison described Harry and Elise as the 'lights that shone the brightest' in his life and wished for his 'little ones' to 'sleep well.'

Mr Donnison paid emotional tribute to his children by reading a poem as part of his eulogy.

Titled 'They are Gone' it featured the words.

'You can shed tears that they are gone, or you can smile because they have lived. You can close your eyes and pray that they'll come back or you can open your eyes and see all they left.'

The toddlers were found in Fiona Donnison's car in Heathfield, East Sussex, in separate sports holdalls.

A post-mortem examination found they had died from asphyxiation.

Mrs Donnison - a former City high flyer - was charged with their murder after walking into a police station with slit wrists and admitting there had been an 'incident.'

Donnison was charged after doctors ruled she was fit enough to be discharged from hospital where she had been treated for severe cuts.

The 43-year-old, from Lightwater, Surrey, is being held in a medium security psychiatric hospital awaiting trial.

She was not allowed to attend the funeral.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is also probing whether officers ignored warning signs which could have prevented the murders of the two Donnison children.

Sussex Police confirmed the force had had previous 'limited contact' with the family.

It is believed that Donnison walked out on her 46-year-old husband last year.

Friends said she had suffered from depression since the death of the couple's first child together, Mia Florence, from cot death in 2004.

In November, she suffered another blow when custody of her two older children from a previous marriage, was given to her ex-husband, Derek McCrow.


Pallbearers carry the single coffin, which was adorned with stars and moons, into the crematorium

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1259127/Elise-Harry-Donnison-dead-boot-mothers-car-laid-rest.html#ixzz0r8fjkdjW

'We love you, Fiona': Relatives of smothered toddlers' mother call out in court as she is charged with their murder

By Rebecca Camber and James Mills
Last updated at 12:08 PM on 30th January 2010



The mother of two toddlers whose bodies were found in holdalls in the boot of her car was remanded in custody today charged with their murders.

Three-year-old Harry and Elise Donnison, two, were found by officers after their mother, Fiona Donnison, attended Heathfield police station in East Sussex in a distressed state on Wednesday.

Donnison, 43, of Lightwater, Surrey, appeared at Lewes Magistrates' Court accused of the double murders between January 25 and 28 after being charged by Sussex Police early today.

Flanked by two security guards, Donnison, wearing a long blue jumper, held her hands clasped in front of her as she spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth and address during the 10-minute hearing.

There was no application for bail and no plea was entered during the hearing.

The case was adjourned and Donnison will next appear at Lewes Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on February 12.

About half a dozen relatives were in court, some of whom became visibly upset as Donnison entered the dock.

As she was led away following the hearing, two people shouted, 'We love you, Fiona' and 'We love you, Fi.'

Initial post-mortem examinations revealed the children died from asphyxia and had been dead for less than 24 hours when they were found in Donnison's silver Nissan car, parked near the former family home in Heathfield.

Former City worker Donnison, who was estranged from her husband, Paul, was discharged from Eastbourne District General Hospital last night after being treated for apparently self-inflicted wounds.

Detectives said toxicology results are awaited in the coming days before the cause of death of the toddlers can be confirmed.

Mr Donnison issued a statement through police last night describing Harry and Elise as 'the lights that shone the brightest in my life'.

A statement from Sussex police said: 'Following professional medical assessment at Eastbourne District General Hospital, Mrs Donnison was released into police custody late on Friday evening and taken to Eastbourne Custody Centre.

'Detectives, led by Det Ch Insp Steve Johns from Sussex Police's Major Crime Branch, were given authority to charge her with the murders at 1.54am on Saturday and she was remanded in custody.'

Mr Donnison spoke of the 'beauty and joy' his children brought to the world as he paid tribute to them last night.

In a statement issued by Sussex Police, he said: 'Harry and Elise were the lights that shone the brightest in my life and I am unable to begin to comprehend why this has happened to them.

'I love them with all my heart and they in turn gave me the unconditional love that only a child can give a parent.

'Every day that I saw them was precious and wonderful but I had no idea just how precious.'

He thanked friends and family for their support, and added: 'That their lives have been taken away in the most cruel way that I am unable to understand.

'I will always love Harry and Elise and will never let a day go by without thinking of their beauty and the joy they gave to me in their short lives.'

Mr Donnison had previously expressed concerns about his children's safety while under the care of his estranged wife, a family friend said.

Sussex Police confirmed the force made contact with the couple before the children's deaths, but did not give further details.

On Wednesday, Mrs Donnison, 43, walked into a police station. Officers were directed to her car where they found the bodies of the children who had been bundled into separate sports holdalls.

Police are facing questions about their handling of the case because officers were called to the family's home several times, the last time being on Tuesday night.

Social services had known of serious problems within the family for six months after a series of reports of domestic violence.

The couple separated last September and Mrs Donnison moved with her two children from Heathfield in East Sussex to rented accommodation in Surrey.

With her marriage falling apart after the cot death of their first child, Mia Florence, and the stress of mounting credit card debts, her behaviour became increasingly erratic.

The loss of Mia in April 2004, is said to have sent Mrs Donnison into a deep depression.

Yesterday her accounts manager husband told friends: 'I do not hate Fiona. I adored my children. I just wish she could obtain the professional psychiatric help she so badly needs.'

She had reported Mr Donnison to police, claiming he had assaulted her. The father, who denied the claims, warned officers he feared for the safety of his children.
He returned home from work on Sunday night to discover that his wife had barricaded herself and the children inside the family's £500,000 East Sussex home where he was living alone.

Police were called and officers kept the peace while Mr Donnison packed an overnight bag and said a tearful goodbye to his family.

The house had been turned upside down with cupboards locked, pictures turned around and keys hidden.

The next day when Mrs Donnison left, her husband changed the locks.

But she returned on Tuesday and threw a brick through a side window to get in. Police were called and Mr Donnison left the house at 8.40pm.

The next day his wife, who was a City worker, slashed her wrists before walking into the police station in Heathfield which is just 300 yards from the family home.

Last November, custody of Ollie, 12, and Will, 15, her sons from a previous marriage, was given to her ex-husband Derek McCrow who she divorced in 2003.

Social services in East Sussex and Surrey were alerted to problems within the family.

But after carrying out an assessment, social workers decided not to take the children into care despite evidence of domestic violence.

Susan Butcher, a close family friend, said: 'He [Mr Donnison] told us his wife had a history of broken relationships with family members, lengthy periods of refusing to speak and mildly abhorrent behaviour.

'When they first met he discovered she had colossal debts and he cleared them for her.

'Fiona was then made redundant and was unsuccessful at finding a new job.'

She said the couple tried to get back together over Christmas but their relationship disintegrated quickly.

'Paul told us she had now amassed another £30,000-worth of credit card debt,' she added.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1247215/Smothered-toddlers-mother-r-Fiona-Donnison-charged-murder.html#ixzz0r8gninWP

Father of two murdered children 'warned police about their mother'
Detectives prepare to interview Fiona Donnison after bodies of Harry, three, and Elise, two, were found in car boot

Sam Jones
Friday 29 January 2010 12.29 GMT

Detectives are preparing to interview a mother over the murder of her two children amid reports that her estranged husband had told police he feared for their safety in her care.

Fiona Donnison, 43, was arrested on Wednesday after arriving at Heathfield police station in East Sussex with "apparent self-harm injuries".

Police said Donnison was in a distressed state and told officers to search her car.

Police broke into the silver Nissan, parked near the former family home in Heathfield, and found the bodies of Harry Donnison, three, and his two-year-old sister, Elise, in holdalls in the boot.

Postmortem examinations carried out at King's College hospital in London yesterday showed that the children died of asphyxiation and had been dead for less than 24 hours when found.

The mother, a former City worker, was in a stable condition at Eastbourne District general hospital last night.

A spokesman for Sussex police said officers were hoping to speak to Donnison today but the matter was "in the hands of medical experts".

A family friend said the children's father, Paul Donnison, had expressed concerns to police before the deaths. The friend, who declined to be named, said she had "demonstrated personal traits" that alarmed Mr Donnison.

"He said to my husband and I that he was very concerned about the safety of the children in her hands," said the friend, who declined to be named.

"I think she had probably demonstrated personal traits that gave him cause to be concerned. He did say to me that he told police about the children's safety but I don't know under what circumstances he told them."

The friend, who had known the Donnisons for five years as a close neighbour, said the couple had marital difficulties. Other neighbours said the couple separated just before Christmas when they put their three-storey detached house up for sale.

Sussex police admitted there had been "previous contact with police in relation to this family" but refused to confirm whether Mr Donnison had spoken to officers about his wife's care of the children.

"This will be reviewed, in liaison with appropriate agencies, as a matter of standard procedure and also in order to help inform the current police inquiry," said a spokesman.

"We cannot release further information at this time as it could prejudice the investigation."

A house in Lightwater, Surrey, where Mrs Donnison moved after her separation has been cordoned off by police.

The children's great-aunt, Ivy Donnison, 78, from Newmarket, Suffolk, said they were "really beautiful children".

"Paul informed me of the tragedy yesterday. We haven't seen any of them for over a year. They just live so far away from us," she said.

"You couldn't fault the way they had been brought up. Paul loved those children."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/29/donnison-children-dead-car-police

Mother guilty of murdering her children to hurt their father

Fiona Donnison used son and daughter as 'ultimate pawns' by killing them to get revenge on her ex-boyfriend

Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 9 August 2011 12.37 EDT

A woman has been sentenced to a minimum of 32 years for murdering her two young children and hiding their bodies in the boot of her car after the breakdown of her relationship with their father.

Fiona Donnison, 45, used Harry, three, and Elise, two, as the "ultimate pawns" by killing them to hurt Paul Donnison in the most extreme way possible, Lewes crown court heard.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/09/mother-guilty-murdering-children