Victoria Climbié: murder convictions; possession belief; Laming Inquiry followed

Cited record

Sources

Wikipedia (2026) 'Murder of Victoria Climbié' [summarizing the Old Bailey convictions of January 2001 and the Laming public inquiry]. Available at: en.wikipedia.org (Accessed: 14 July 2026).

Victoria Climbié, an eight-year-old Ivorian girl, was tortured to death in London in 2000 by her great-aunt Marie-Thérèse Kouao and Carl Manning, who believed her injuries and behaviour reflected demonic possession: a pastor consulted by Kouao 'offered prayers for Victoria to cast out the devil, and thought that her injuries were due to demonic possession.' 'Both Kouao and Manning were convicted of murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment.' The case prompted the Laming public inquiry and reshaped British child-protection law. The deliverance theology involved was Christian — turned against an African-diaspora child branded a witch.

official inquiry · inquiry report UK Department of Health and Social Care, The Victoria Climbié Inquiry: report of an inquiry by Lord Laming (2003).

The official inquiry report examines Victoria Climbié’s death, the criminal convictions, contacts with religious and public institutions, and the safeguarding failures that preceded her death.