Childminder Admits Neglect After Leaving 27 Children Unattended
Amanda Mathewson pleaded guilty to multiple counts of neglect and abandoning children in her care at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
A childminder in Dunfermline has pleaded guilty to neglect and abandoning 27 children who were in her care. Amanda Mathewson, 55, admitted to the offenses at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, where it was revealed she was caring for 19 more children than her license permitted.
Mathewson, who had been a self-employed childminder for 30 years, was arrested following allegations of cruelty. The court heard that two parents became suspicious when informed their children were not present during a school run. Upon investigating, they discovered their children were not with Mathewson, despite being under her care. The parents then went to Mathewson's home, where they heard a child screaming and found five unattended children in the garden. These children indicated that Mathewson had instructed them to wait outside.
Upon entering the unlocked house, the parents found another child crying under the kitchen table. Nine additional children, all under the age of five, were discovered in an upstairs bedroom, some strapped into prams. These children were described as distressed but unharmed. Police confirmed Mathewson had left the children alone for at least 30 minutes, and ring doorbell footage indicated this was the second instance that day.
Mathewson admitted to willfully neglecting, abandoning, and exposing the children to a situation likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury. An inspection by the Care Inspectorate approximately a year prior to her arrest had rated her services, including the care, learning environment, and setting, as "very good." The report noted that children were cared for in a "comfortable, welcoming and homely environment" with a "warm, kind and nurturing approach."
Mathewson was registered to care for a maximum of eight children at any given time, with specific limits on the number of children under 12, primary school age, and under 12-months-old. Sentencing has been deferred until November 6 for background reports to be prepared, and Mathewson's bail has been continued.