Sally Clark, the mother wrongly jailed for murdering her two baby sons, has died at the age of 42, four years after being released from prison.

The cause of death is not known although her family’s solicitor said last night that Mrs Clark, whose body was found at home yesterday morning, had not been in good health.

In a statement last night, her family said that she had never got over her conviction in 1999 and subsequent prison term. They described her as a “loving and talented wife, mother, daughter and friend”.

At her trial, the prosecution contended that Mrs Clark, a depressive alcoholic, had smothered her 11-week-old son, Christopher, and, 14 months later, shook Harry, his eight-week-old brother, until he was limp and lifeless.

While facing trial for murder Mrs Clark discovered that she was pregnant again. Ten days after giving birth, her new son was taken away from her and placed with foster parents.

After being convicted and given two life sentences, Mrs Clark spent more than three years behind bars. At her appeal new medical evidence emerged and she was found to have been wrongly convicted.

Professor Sir Roy Meadow gave evidence at her trial, claiming that the probability of two natural unexplained cot deaths in the family was 73 million1. The figure was disputed by the Royal Statistical Society and medical experts who said that the odds of a second cot death in a family were about 200-to1. Sir Roy was later found guilty of serious professional misconduct and struck off the medical register.

After her release, Mrs Clark’s husband, Stephen, was accused in 2004 of murdering his two sons by Professor David Southall, a leading paediatrician. Mr Southall was found guilty of serious professional misconduct and barred from child protection work for three years.

Last night a statement by the family said: “Sally was found dead at her home this morning, having passed away during the night. The matter is in the hands of the coroner and it is too early to provide any further information.

“Sally’s family very much hopes that the media will refrain from making any inquiries or attempts to contact them at this painful time.

“Sally, aged 42, was released in 2003 having been wrongfully imprisoned for more than three years, falsely accused of the murder of her two sons. Sadly, she never fully recovered from the effects of this appalling miscarriage of justice.”

Angela Cannings, who spent 18 months in prison after a wrongful conviction for killing two of her babies, said last night: “I’m really speechless, I’m so angry. This lady suffered so much — now she’s died, I’m just shocked and stunned.”

Her lawyer, Bill Bache, added: “If Sally Clark’s ordeal was in any way connected with her death, as it may well have been, than all those who have contributed to this miscarriage of justice will, I hope, be examining their consciences and reflecting on what they’ve done.”

The Times serialised the book Stolen Innocence: A Mother’s Fight for Justice — Sally Clark’s Story” by John Batt in 2004.

In one of the extracts, Mrs Clark described the pain of being separated from her third son shortly after giving birth to him. “The precious baby I have borne for nine months and felt the same all-consuming love for the moment he came into this world is taken from my arms . . . I am not allowed to see him unsupervised. I am watched while I change his nappy. It is more than distressing, it is an unbearable pain at the core of my being.”

The child was subsequently returned to the family.

‘No winners’

“Today is not a victory. There are no winners here. We have all lost out. We simply feel relief that our nightmare is finally at an end . . . My husband, Steve, together with our boy, is my life. He has stood by me throughout this nightmare, not through blind love or unthinking loyalty, but because he knows me better than anyone and knows how much I loved our babies. He has been my rock and I love him now more than ever. Being separated from him has been a living hell. Being deprived of more than three years of being a mum has been even worse. And yet somehow . . . we have managed to stay close”

— Sally Clark outside court after her acquittal, Jan. 29, 2003

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Phoebe Caldwell wins Times/Sternberg Award
• Raging against fake pop has its own pitfalls
• How a voice for everyone led to stalemate