This episode contains distressing themes and descriptions of violence.

This podcast is intended for a mature audience.

Listener caution is advised.

At first, it seems to be a freak accident involving a new father.

Half a year later, it is uncovered that something far more sinister took place.

Welcome to They Walk Among Us,

a podcast dedicated to UK True Crime.

This is the 38th in a series of bonus episodes.

Ellesmere Port in Cheshire has undergone enormous change in the last century.

On the bank of the Manchester Ship Canal, a waterway that led to the expansion of the area, the port town encompasses several incorporated villages, including Whitby,

not to be confused with the seaside town famed for inspiring Dracula.

Since the 1960s, Ellesmere Port has seen a huge increase in size due to its proximity to Liverpool,

and the opening of new businesses like the Vauxall Motor Factory and Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet,

the largest outlet village in the UK.

The population of the port town has doubled in the last 30 years,

and it remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Thank you. to live, work and raise a family. January 4th, 1996 was Julie O'Connor's first day back from maternity leave.

She had given birth to a son Sean five months earlier.

Julie called her partner Stephen that morning from the office where she worked as a secretary

to check in and see how father and son were doing on their first day without her.

The hours passed slowly and finally home time rolled around so she could leave the office and return

to her family. Julie walked through the front door of the semi-ditchie-ditchellate Home at 248 Chester

...