30 YEARS ON: Girls drugged by a doctor in a care home are now having DISABLED BABIES
Women who were given a cocktail of drugs by a controversial doctor when they were girls in care are now giving birth to disabled children, according to extraordinary new claims.
At least six women who were drugged in their teens at the notorious Kendall House home in the late 1970s and early 1980s now have children with genetic defects.
Back in 1980, the home caused a storm when the levels of drugs being prescribed by psychiatrist Dr Marenthiran Perinpanayagam were revealed in a TV documentary.
Girls in his care were given pills designed for schizophrenics, psychotics and Parkinson’s sufferers…without having been diagnosed with any of these conditions and often held down and forced to take them. Nearly 30 years later, the children of girls in his care have learning difficulties, cleft palates, water on the brain and brain growths.
One of the women, Teresa Cooper, 41, said: “They turned us into zombies with those drugs. But we’re only just starting to find out that it may have affected our children as well.”
During 15 years as consultant psychiatrist to Kendall House - run for girls with problems by the Church of England’s Council for Social Responsibility in Gravesend, Kent - Dr Perinpanayagam wrongly prescribed girls drugs. Valium was given at four times the recommended dose for an adult male. When his methods were exposed on TV it caused outrage although it seems no action was taken.
Despite having no mental health problems or history of violence, daily logs written by staff show Teresa was on a dozen drugs without any diagnosis. And workers pinned her down to force her to take them - with other children forced to help. The brutal regime at the house is similar to the notorious “pin down” system of discipline used at the same time in Staffordshire children’s homes.
Now - 25 years on - one of Teresa’s sons was blind until the age of two and has learning difficulties. Another has unexplained lumps on his lymph nodes. And her daughter has a cleft palate and Pierre Robin Syndrome, a facial abnormality.
But, after she published a book called Trust No One about her time in Kendall House, other women who were administered drugs at the home got in touch with Teresa - and many of them also have children with abnormalities and disabilities.
She said: “Eight out of the 10 women I am in touch with have had problems like these - and the two who didn’t were not on drugs. It’s too much of a coincidence. Dr Perinpanayagam must have treated over 200 women during his 15 years working for Kendall House, so God knows how many more are out there who I don’t know about.”
Last night an expert on birth defects said drugs could influence future children, even if the victim was not pregnant at the time. Betty Mekdeci, director of Birth Defect Research for Children, said: “High doses at a certain age can have permanent consequences.”
Dr Perinpanayagam, who described himself on his notepaper as “Psychotherapist to the Home Office”, died in 1988. In 1977 he wrote to a medical journal to describe his experiments with tranquillisers on girls in an unnamed “secure home”.
Teresa said she believes he was trying out drugs to invent a way of treating problem children and make a name for himself. She said: “It is terrifying to think how many children’s lives his actions could now have affected.”
Walthamstow MP Neil Gerrard stood up in the Commons 14 years ago to attack the Church of England over the drug regime at Kendall House, which closed in 1986. Last night he said: “If the link between the drugs and these children’s conditions is proved, there must be an official investigation.”
If you were drugged at Kendall House and think it has affected your children call us in confidence on 020 7293 2232.
‘God knows how many there are’
Pill doc turned teens into zombies
In 1980, Dr Mahenthiran Perinpanayagam’s massive doses of drugs at Kendall House first came to light.
A television documentary quoted another doctor saying he thought one girl’s prescription must have been a misprint.
Meanwhile, Radio 4’s Professor Laurie Taylor co-wrote a book describing how girls at Kendall House had been “reduced to zombies” by the drugs they were given - often without a diagnosis.
By 1984 a report into the home by the Department of Health and Social Security was scathing about the drugs given to the girls.
Inspector Dr Dorothy Black said she was “extremely concerned” about “storage, monitoring and administration of psychotropic drugs”.
She wrote: “The home needs close and urgent attention.”
Two years later Kendall House closed.
Tot’s birth defect
As a frightened 13-year-old, Jules (left) was given huge doses of Valium and other drugs in Kendall House.
Her son was born with a life-threatening birth defect. Jules said: “He has a cyst on his brain’s temporal lobe. He has a crater the width of a golf ball on his head. I didn’t think this had anything to do with Kendall House until I heard about other children.”
Trapped & drugged
“Lisa” Remembers being sent to the “timeout room” - a tiny room with bars on the windows and a lock on the door. There, she was given massive doses of drugs.
She said: “My 16-year-old daughter was born with hydrocephalus. She also has heart problems and neurofibromatosis - little tumours on her nerve endings.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind that all the crap they gave me was the cause of my daughter’s problems.”
We want answers
“Sarah” Believes a string of problems with her two sons are down to the drugs she was given at Kendall House.
She was held down and given injections of Haloperidol and up to 120g of Valium a day. Now her oldest son is dyslexic, with learning difficulties and behavioural problems. And her youngest son has been diagnosed with dyspraxia and dyslexia, and may have Asperger syndrome.
She said: “We all want answers.”
Wasted memories
“Claire” Spent three years in Kendall House in the late 1970s, where records show she was given drugs including antipsychotic Sparine.
She said: “I was like a zombie for a lot of the time, and a lot of my memories have gone. And all my memories before Kendall House have gone.
“When my daughter was born, she had hypermobility syndrome, which is a genetic disease that affects the joints.”
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On 14th Apr 2009 at 05:56 PM pandora said...
hi patience, yes i remember your mum paula and also will never 4 get mrs gregory one evil woman, how is paula what is she up to? pandora is my name,so glad u contacted this site with thanks to teresa we wouldnt being this hope to hear from u soonx
On 15th Apr 2009 at 12:07 PM karen said...
unfortunaly i dont remember paula,i left kendall house in may 1978 after being there for 3 years,as for MRS GREGORY she was my worst nightmare,most of the drugs and injections i was forcibly given was by her,and given the size of her a big lady having her pinning me down was no joke,i also would like to find out if she is still alive and her wherabouts,she is one woman i would not hesitate to try and prosecute if i could,pandora i do remember i was there the same time as you.
On 16th Apr 2009 at 03:09 PM pandora said...
no sorry karen cant help u on the whereabouts of mrs gregory, may i just say she was no lady and she wasnt big she was a very large hefty lump xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 16th Apr 2009 at 05:30 PM karen said...
hi pandora,yes your right she was a large hefty lump and a evil one too,how are you these days,its been along time and i just wondered if you remember me.xxxx
On 17th Apr 2009 at 07:41 AM Admin said...
A few of them are dead and ive been looking into that as well and getting names of those who are dead and those who are alive
Making the polices life easier as they seem to struggle with getting onformation and couldn’t find one person who was living prwctically on their doorstep, 192.com is probably too advanced for the police to work out
On 17th Apr 2009 at 06:14 PM pandora said...
hi karen yes i remember you, have lots of happy photos of us in the xmas plays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! im good thanksx
On 17th Apr 2009 at 09:15 PM Admin said...
Hi Justice xxxx Thankyou for all you have been doing to support the KH campaign. You have worked very hard in recent weeks re the protest and the numbers are growing
I have recommended two solicitors for girls to contact if they need advice and it is entirely their decision to make xxx it is the one area I can’t help in xxxxx
On 19th Apr 2009 at 08:11 PM Admin said...
I recieved a human rights award for all my achievements in the Kendall House research and exposure, my book and all the other projects and campaigns ive been involved in
To all the KH girls xxxxxxxx To all the mothers whos support has been amazing xxxxxxxx
And special thankyou to my 3 amazing children & my sister whom have supported me throughout and been there with me through thick and thin,giving me the strength to keep going. With all my love xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Angela, Jules, Kelly, Nastasha,Jane, Michael,Angus, Margaret, S and several others, I want to say a huge thankyou for all your support,care, love and understanding and for supporting me through so much xxxxxxx
I am truly honoured to know you
Teresa xxxxxxxxxxxx
On 19th Apr 2009 at 08:26 PM Admin said...
Any KH girls, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
On 27th Apr 2009 at 09:18 AM sapna said...
Thanks for sharing information. I got shocked. its really bad. we should take care of this.
On 22nd Jun 2009 at 04:04 PM sandra barry said...
hi karen i 2 was at k.h with u my name is sandra i was there from 1976 - 1980 we were very good friends u even came 2 stay with me 4 a few days when u was pregnant with ur 1st child. As 4 greg it is my understanding that the evil witch is dead ( thank god) u r right she was us girls worse nightmare i was injected 4 not laying the tables quick enough 1 night hope u remember me hope 2 here from u soon lv sandra D xx xx
On 23rd Jun 2009 at 08:27 PM karen said...
hi sandra,i could never forget you,you were my best friend there and without you i would never have got through it all,its great to hear from you,so sorry we lost touch,i have never forgotton you,when i first spoke to teresa who runs this site 2 years ago,you were the first person i asked after in hope you had been in touch with her,yes i remember coming to stay with you in london,ive been married for 19 years now,not to the chap i was with when i came to stay,i have 2 sons age 28 and 17 and 3 grandchildren,how about you are you married and any children,i live in west sussex about 15 mins drive from brighton,it would be realy nice if you could contact teresa via admin on this site as she has said she will pass on my phone no to you if you would like to give me a call sometime,we have a few years catching up to do lol,hope your ok and thinking of you,love karen xxxxxxx
On 24th Jun 2009 at 08:29 PM Admin said...
Its great to see more girls coming forward and naturally saddened about the bad experiences.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) is the email address Sandra and il pass on your details to karen xxx
On 25th Jun 2009 at 04:20 PM sandra barry said...
hi karen i have just sent a message 2 get ur num when i get it i will ring u yes i have 4 children 1 boy 3 girls 3 grandchildren an 2 on the way i think my girls want me 2 feel old b4 my time my children r 26-25-22-20 we have so much 2 catch up on hope 2 have ur num real soon love sandra xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 25th Jun 2009 at 05:14 PM pandora said...
sandra and karen, so glad u guys have managed 2 get in contact with each other your going to have alot to catch up on hope u both ok take care xxxx
On 26th Jun 2009 at 06:03 PM sandra barry said...
thanks pandora yes karen and i were really good mates at k.h we have 29years of catching up 2 do but wot fun it should be take care lv hope all is well with u talk soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 26th Sep 2009 at 07:50 AM rachel way said...
dear teresa,
i have just finished reading your book trust no one. im so angry that the people at kendal house have never been punished for the terrible abuse they put you and others through.
i wish you love and laughter in your lives now.
rachel
xxxxx
On 26th Sep 2009 at 01:07 PM Admin said...
Hi Rachel
Thankyou for reading my book and your comment.
I will keep fighting for justice and maybe one day I will get it
Its been a very lonely journey but one I will not give up on. I am greatful to all the readers of my book for all their support, comments and emails. It means alot to me.
Lot of love Teresa XXX
On 5th Jan 2010 at 04:24 PM Vanessa Cox said...
Hi,
I’ve just finished reading Trust No One. I don’t have any connection with KH or anyone on this site but it is just beyond belief that when I was growing up in a lovely home in the 80’s this horrific abuse was going on at the same time in this country. I’m so thankful I had the parents I had and if I could wish anything for anyone else it would be to have the same. I hope you all find the peace you deserve.
Vanessa
x
On 13th Mar 2011 at 02:27 PM Nicola May Benson said...
My name is Nicola Benson and I was in the care system around Kent in the late seventies early eighties Gatland House,fieldview,Glebelands etc etc If I can help in any way please contact me.It was a horrific time with good genuine staff few and far between
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or face book nicola nix benson