A familial match had been identified on the National DNA Database after all this time. Finally, investigators would know who she was and who he was—the baby boy named after the woodland where he was found nearly three decades earlier…
*** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***
This episode was researched and written by Eileen Macfarlane.
Edited by Joel Porter at Dot Dot Dot Productions.
Script editing, additional writing, illustrations and production direction by Rosanna Fitton.
Narration, additional audio editing and mixing, and script editing by Benjamin Fitton.
To get early ad-free access, including Season 1, sign up for They Walk Among PLUS, available from Patreon or Apple Podcasts.
More information and episode references can be found on our website https://theywalkamonguspodcast.com
MUSIC:
Raindrops At Sea by Stephen Keech
Azure by Alice in Winter
As I Dream by Moments
Breaking And Entering by Rhythm Scott
Beyond The Bridge by Caleb Etheridge
Creeper by Hill
Rampant by CJ0
When Love Travels Like a Rumor by Hill
Blackstone by Lincoln Davis
Ventures Call by Lincoln Davis
Grim History by Lost Ghosts
Reclaim by Michael Briguglio
Memories Of Future Events by Hill
Endless Night by Moments
Fallen Sky by Moments
The Choice Is Yours by Moments
Those Lost by Moments
What You’re Here For by Moments
Selha by Stephen Keech
Introspection by Shimmer
Worth by Shimmer
St Mary by Chelsea McGough And Stephen Keech
After The Fall by Wicked Cinema
Allied by Wicked Cinema
No Escape by Wicked Cinema
SOCIAL MEDIA: https://linktr.ee/TheyWalkAmongUs
REFERENCES:
SENTENCING REMARKS
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/R-v-Sharkey.pdf
NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175324671/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175325063/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175325168/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175325186/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175325337/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175325371/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175325399/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175325417/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent/175325438/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175325453/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175325475/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175325490/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175325514/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175458793/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175325536/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175458802/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175458809/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175458823/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175458831/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175458843/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175458857/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175458867/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175458880/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175458891/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175458898/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175674486/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent/175458911/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175458925/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175458936/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175458949/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175458964/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175458975/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/175458984/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/175458996/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/175459008/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent/175459015/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent/175459042/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175460127/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175325553/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175460297/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175460320/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175325572/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175460362/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175460373/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/175325597/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175325624/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/175460411/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed/175460420/
NEWSBANK
Independent, The (London, England), March 17, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), March 27, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), April 3, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), April 9, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), April 9, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), May 18, 1998
Independent, The (London, England), July 16, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), July 22, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), July 24, 1998
Daily Mirror, The (London, England), July 28, 1998
Independent on Sunday, The (London, England), August 2, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), August 8, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), September 18, 1998
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), January 8, 1999
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), March 5, 1999
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), May 21, 1999
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), July 30, 1999
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), November 26, 1999
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), March 10, 2000
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), November 2, 2000
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), January 17, 2002
Lancashire County Publications (England), March 8, 2002
Liverpool Echo (England), March 8, 2002
Cheshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside Counties Publications (England), March 12, 2003
Warrington Guardian (England), March 14, 2008
Daily Post (Liverpool, England), March 15, 2008
Liverpool Echo (England), March 15, 2008
Warrington Guardian (England), March 20, 2008
Warrington Guardian (England), September 17, 2009
St. Helens Star (England), September 23, 2009
Warrington Guardian (England), April 30, 2010
Warrington Guardian (England), March 14, 2018
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), March 14, 2021
Chester Chronicle: Web Edition Articles (England), March 14, 2022
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), March 15, 2022
Warrington Guardian (England), March 14, 2023
Chester Chronicle: Web Edition Articles (England), March 15, 2023
Manchester Evening News: Web Edition Articles (England), March 15, 2023
Birmingham Mail: Web Edition Articles (England), October 17, 2023
Guardian, The: Web Edition Articles (London, England), October 17, 2023
Warrington Guardian (England), March 14, 2024
Daily Mirror, The: Web Edition Articles (London, England), April 15, 2024
Daily Telegraph, The/The Sunday Telegraph: Web Edition Articles (London, England), April 15, 2024
Evening Standard: Web Edition Articles (London, England), April 15, 2024
Warrington Guardian (England), April 15, 2024
Evening Standard: Web Edition Articles (London, England), April 16, 2024
Warrington Guardian (England), April 16, 2024
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), April 17, 2024
Chester Chronicle: Web Edition Articles (England), April 18, 2024
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), April 23, 2024
Daily Mirror, The: Web Edition Articles (London, England), July 25, 2024
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), July 25, 2024
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), August 9, 2024
Warrington Guardian (England), October 18, 2024
Chester Chronicle: Web Edition Articles (England), March 6, 2025
Daily Mirror, The: Web Edition Articles (London, England), March 6, 2025
Guardian, The: Web Edition Articles (London, England), March 6, 2025
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), March 6, 2025
Macclesfield Express (England), March 6, 2025
Manchester Evening News: Web Edition Articles (England), March 6, 2025
Warrington Guardian (England), March 6, 2025
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), March 7, 2025
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), March 9, 2025
Daily Star: Web Edition Articles (England), March 21, 2025
Liverpool Echo: Web Edition Articles (England), March 21, 2025
Manchester Evening News: Web Edition Articles (England), March 21, 2025
Warrington Guardian (England), March 21, 2025
Daily Mirror, The: Web Edition Articles (London, England), March 22, 2025
Huddersfield Daily Examiner: Web Edition Articles (England), March 22, 2025
Chester Chronicle: Web Edition Articles (England), April 4, 2025
Daily Mirror, The (London, England), April 5, 2025
Daily Telegraph, The (London, England), April 5, 2025
Liverpool Echo (England), April 5, 2025
Times, The (London, England), April 5, 2025
Guardian, The (London, England), April 6, 2025
Daily Mirror, The: Web Edition Articles (London, England), May 8, 2025
ONLINE SOURCES
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-11937715#:~:text=Bernadette%20Quirk%2C%2055%2C%20formerly%20of,buried%20another%20in%20a%20cemetery.
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/joanne-sharkey-updates-mum-who-31246748
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/updates-court-mum-who-killed-31345478?utm_source=mynewsassistant.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=embedded_search_item_desktop
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0jn8lkgdeo
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/joanne-sharkey-sentencing-live-mum-31349938
https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/5303861.baby-callum-was-strangled-to-death/
https://www.dpassociates.uk.com/projects/gullivers-land-theme-park-milton-keynes/
https://www.warrington.gov.uk/brief-history-warrington
https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/25063845.baby-callum-joanne-sharkey-sentenced-manslaughter-baby/
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/06/how-mystery-of-baby-callum-death-came-to-an-end