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Incestuous Couple Murdered Sons Over Secret
22 Feb
Summary
- Couple murdered sons by strangulation and bin bags.
- They forced children to take tablets to kill them.
- Social services saw mother as loving, with no warning signs.
Sarah Barrass and her half-brother, Brandon Machin, received life sentences for the murders of their two teenage sons, Tristan and Blake Barrass. The siblings, engaged in an incestuous relationship, committed the murders on May 24, 2019. They strangled the boys before placing bin bags over their heads to ensure their deaths.
Prior to the murders, the couple had compelled their four children, including the two victims and two younger siblings under three, to ingest tablets, including ADHD medication. The intention was for these to cause death overnight. Barrass attempted to conceal the events by falsely telling responding officers that some children were with neighbours.
An investigation by Sheffield Children's Safeguarding Partnership revealed that social services had consistently viewed Barrass as a loving and competent mother, finding no evidence that the tragic events could have been predicted. Professionals noted her active engagement with support services for her children.
