Moment dad found 27 abandoned children at childminder’s house

Detailed summary

Amanda Mathewson (left) had more than 50 children in her care between 2023 and 2024 (Picture: PA) A father has described the moment he discovered 27 children abandoned at their…

A father has described the moment he discovered 27 children abandoned at their childminder’s house without access to food or water.

The dad uncovered the crimes of Amanda Mathewson, 55, when she was spotted at school pick-up without his two sons, who were meant to be in her care.

The nanny had come highly recommended in Dunfermline, Fife, but what parents thought was happening in her house turned out to be a lie.

She had more than 50 children in her care between 2023 and 2024, a court heard, despite only having a licence to look after eight.

On the day she was arrested, she was looking after 27. All were under 16 and some were younger than 12 months.

Mathewson got away with it for nearly a year by asking parents to text her before coming to pick their children up so she could hide others away in different rooms.

Speaking to The Times, Angus explained how he and his wife had entrusted their two sons in his care for almost two years.

In 2024, one of his boys started to protest, saying the childminder was putting him upstairs in a buggy.

When the parents questioned Mathewson, she quickly reassured them that he had simply fallen asleep in his buggy.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Metro. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.