November 2, 1991:
Victoria Adjo Climbie is born near Abidjan, the Ivory Coast. 

November 1998:
Seven-year-old Victoria Adjo Climbie leaves Abobo in the Ivory Coast to lives with her aunt, Marie-Therese Kouao initially in Paris. Kouao takes the girl to London after she is pursued by French authorities over benefit payments. 

April - June 1999:
On arrival in England, Victoria's name is given as Anna because of the assumed identity on the false passport used to get her into Europe. 

Kouao takes a job as a hospital cleaner and the pair initially live in a hostel in north London. Some weeks later Victoria is on a bus with her aunt when they meet Carl Manning, the driver, for the first time. 

July 1999:
Kouao and Victoria, who speaks no English, move into Carl Manning's home in Tottenham, north London. Within days, Victoria would be suffering abuse at the hands of Carl Manning. That abuse would lead to her torture and death. 

July 14, 1999:
Victoria makes her first visit to the Central Middlesex Hospital after the daughter of her child minder suspects the girl has non-accidental injuries. The doctor accepts Kouao's story that Victoria has inflicted the wounds on herself by scratching at scabies sores. 

During this period, doctors alert child protection authorities as a precaution. Haringey social worker Lisa Arthurworrey and PC Karen Jones are assigned to the case. They later cancel a home visit scheduled for 4 August after hearing about the scabies. 

July 24, 1999:
Victoria is taken to North Middlesex Hospital's casualty department with scalding to her head and face. Doctors immediately suspect that the injuries have been deliberately inflicted. 

Kouao tells Lisa Arthurworrey and PC Jones that she poured hot water over Victoria to try and stop her scratching her scalp. She says that Victoria caused other injuries with utensils. 

August 6, 1999:
Victoria is discharged from the hospital and is collected by Kouao after her explanation for the injuries is accepted by child protection authorities. 

October 1999:
Trial evidence reveals that from October 1999 until the following January, Carl Manning forces Victoria to sleep in a bin liner in the bath every night at this flat. 

November 1, 1999:
Kouao tells social workers that Carl Manning has sexually assaulted Victoria. She withdraws the accusation the next day. PC Jones is asked to investigate why but takes no further action after her letter to Kouao remains unanswered. 

February 24, 2000:
Victoria is rushed to North Middlesex Hospital suffering from a combination of malnutrition and hypothermia. Doctors later transfer her to an intensive care ward at St Mary's Hospital in west London. 

February 25, 2000: 
Victoria is declared dead at 3.15pm at St Mary's Hospital. 

Dr Nathaniel Carey, the Home Office pathologist who examines her body, finds 128 separate injuries and scars, many of them cigarette burns, and describes them as:

"the worst case of child abuse I've encountered"

Read About The Victoria Climbie Charitable Fund
Read Updates About Victoria's Story
Timeline Of Events In Victoria's Short Life
Return To Victoria's story

For information about preventing child abuse in the England click below. If they can't help you, ask for someone who can. NEVER give up looking for help for an abused child!

Call this number to report child abuse ANY WHERE in the United States!
1-800-4-A-Child  1-800-422-4453







My sincerest appreciation goes out to Diane Trembly for allowing me to use one
of her beautiful Angels to make the graphics for this set. Please visit her site,
by clicking the link below, to see all of her amazing work.