'You deserved one last picture' says mum who sent daughter's photo to ex before killing her

A mother sent her ex-partner a final photo of their daughter before she murdered the two-year-old and then tried to kill herself, a court has heard.

Cody-Anne Jackson has admitted killing her daughter, Macey Hogan, in her home in Stoke-on-Trent in 2016 after the breakdown of her relationship with the child's father.

Stafford Crown Court heard how the 20-year-old sent a photo of the toddler to Paul Hogan along with the message "Sorry, just thought you deserved one last picture and memory of her", the trial heard.

Jackson of Packett Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, had pleaded not guilty but changed her plea to guilty after evidence about how Macey may have died.

The BBC reported that during the trial it was stated that Macey was smothered to death before Jackson called 999 and then tried to kill herself.

Cody-Anne was said to have told paramedics that her daughter was not breathing and when they arrived they found her with superficial knife wounds claiming that she had been stabbed.

A forensic pathologist said the exact cause of Macey's death had not been defined saying that evidence pointed to it being at least 30 minutes before the emergency services arrived.

Police had to force open a bedroom door on arrival where Cody-Anne was performing ineffectual CPR on her child.

The defendant, who had a history of self-harm, claimed she had woken up on 10 October to find her daughter lifeless next to her between two pillows, police claim she said

Police also discovered a suicide note addressed to the defendant's uncle, Craig Jackson.

The note read: "I sit here thinking about killing my own daughter and then killing myself. I do not want to leave her behind but I can't go on either. There is nothing for me or Macey."

Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC said to the court: "The defendant acted on her stated intention to kill Macey but failed to follow through with her suicide. It is that simple."

After her guilty plea Det Insp Dan Ison, of Staffordshire Police, said in a statement: "We welcome this guilty plea, albeit during the trial, but nothing can ever replace Macey.

"This incident resulted in the dreadful loss of a two-year-old girl who is dearly missed."

Jackson is due to be sentenced on 27 July.