A chilling remark by Karen Matthews about her missing daughter Shannon has exposed the true callousness behind one of Britain's most shocking fake kidnapping plots. Neighbour Petra Jamieson reveals in a new Prime Video documentary that Matthews casually told her she should "get rid of one of my kids more often" just weeks after Shannon's rescue.
The shocking comment came during a trip to a local fish and chip shop, where the proprietor offered free food out of sympathy for Matthews' ordeal. Petra recalled: "She (Karen) looked at me and just said she should 'get rid of one of my kids more often'. At the time, I just slapped her on the side of the arm… 'Why would you say that?'"
The orchestrated deception
Matthews had engineered an elaborate plot with Michael Donovan, the uncle of her then-boyfriend, to kidnap nine-year-old Shannon in February 2008. The pair planned to claim a £50,000 reward that had been offered for the child's safe return.
Shannon was held captive for 24 days after Donovan enticed her into his car following a school swimming trip on February 19, 2008. Police launched a £3.2 million search operation, the largest conducted by West Yorkshire Police since their hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper.
Shocking treatment during captivity
The young girl was discovered hidden in the drawer of a divan bed in Donovan's bedroom, just a mile from her Dewsbury home. According to Daily Mail reports, Shannon had been sedated with the adult tranquiliser temazepam not only during the 24-day kidnapping but for up to 20 months prior to the incident.
She was provided with a list of rules on how to behave to avoid detection during her captivity. The systematic abuse and deception shocked investigators and the local community who had rallied to support Matthews during the search.
Community betrayal exposed
Petra Jamieson, who lived two doors down from Matthews, had been one of her strongest defenders during the search. She described Shannon as a "pleasant, lovely girl to have around" who never caused trouble and would happily play with her siblings in the garden.
The documentary reveals how Matthews appeared to enjoy the media attention, with Petra noting: "She liked the fact that she could go into town, and everyone recognised her. People had sympathy for her and compassion, giving her hugs."
Justice and aftermath
Both Matthews and Donovan were sentenced to eight years in prison at Leeds Crown Court in January 2009, serving four years before their release in 2012. Shannon and her six siblings have been granted new identities and lifelong anonymity following a High Court injunction, and are kept apart from their mother.
Michael Donovan died in April 2024 at Three Valleys Hospital in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Only Mirror reports that the new documentary "The Hunt for Shannon Matthews" is set for release on August 17, 2025.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Daily Mail", "Mirror" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
