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Valerie Kneale Wiki – Bio
Valerie Kneale, 75, a grandmother who died while recovering from a stroke in the hospital may have been killed by a predator that could strike again, police have warned.
Valerie Kneale, 75, was sitting and talking when her relatives visited her at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Her adult children wanted to spend the night with her, but the doctors said it was not necessary. However, she then suffered a devastating second stroke and never regained consciousness. After a post-mortem examination, it was discovered that she had bled to death because she had been assaulted, possibly sexually. Despite detectives interviewing thousands, including ward staff, patients, and visitors, no one has been charged with the murder. A £20,000 reward has now been offered to catch her killer.
Age
Valerie Kneale was 75 years old.
Valerie Kneale, 75, bled to death in her hospital bed after being sexually assaulted
Detective Chief Inspector Jill Johnston, from Lancashire Police, said: “This may be at the hands of someone who is a predator who may have previously committed attacks of this nature and may continue to do so.” Mrs. Kneale, who lived with her husband Bill in Knott End-on-Sea, Lancashire, was taken to hospital on November 12, 2018, after falling ill. Her niece Lisa Jaffier told Crimewatch Live: “She was sitting, she was communicating. Obviously, she was going to have challenges in her recovery, but we were all very hopeful for a positive outcome.” Her children wanted to stay with her that night, but the hospital said she really was in the best place she could be, there really is no need, and she was going to be absolutely fine. However, Mrs. Kneale got worse: the doctors said she would not recover and the family agreed to stop treatment.
She died on November 16. But in a routine autopsy, a pathologist found she suffered a horrifying internal injury and told the police. An inquest heard that the pathologist ‘felt’ that Ms. Kneale’s injury ‘was caused by a forcible sexual assault after she was admitted to hospital’. Ms. Jaffier added: “To think that someone did that to a lovely person at a time when she was helpless, at her most vulnerable, where she couldn’t scream, couldn’t defend herself… We were left with a huge wound that didn’t even it can’t even begin to heal until we find out who is responsible for doing that so we can get justice.’
No CCTV and reduced forensic opportunities due to a breach before the alarm was sounded were challenges, DCI Johnston said. He added: “The fact that this has happened in a hospital setting is a huge concern for all of us and we have worked tirelessly together with the hospital to get justice for Ms. Kneale and her family, but also to prevent this from happening again. A healthcare professional arrested in 2021 on suspicion of murder was later removed from the investigation. The independent charity Crimestoppers announced the reward for any information leading to the conviction of his killer. Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it is “fully cooperating” with the investigation and its thoughts are with Ms. Kneale’s family. No other deaths currently under investigation are linked to that of Ms. Kneale, police confirmed.
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