THEY thought it was highly possible she killed her little boys – but there was no conclusive proof.

That was the damning view of one of the most senior judges in the country as well as a highly qualified child health expert and senior detectives who examined the deaths of little Jayden and Bradley Adams just three months apart.

But an inquest has heard how the “compelling piece of evidence” that would have showed that Southampton mum Shelly Adams, 27, caused the deaths of her children by smothering could not be found.

The tragic details surrounding the deaths of two-year-old Jayden and his big brother Bradley, four – and the appalling life they led under the care of their mother – were revealed at Southampton Coroner’s Court yesterday.

But ultimately, no concrete reason can be found to explain their deaths which are shrouded in “considerable uncertainties”, leading coroner Keith Wiseman to record open determinations.

The inquest heard how Jayden died on January 6, 2011, after being admitted to Southampton General Hospital suffering cardiac arrest.

It was the third time that week that the youngster had been taken to hospital because he was fitting or unwell and during one of those incidents doctors believed he may have been suffering from chicken pox.

The hearing was told how the toddler was already on the “at risk” register over fears of “neglect” and under the watchful eye of local authorities including police and social services. They had produced a child protection plan around him a year before he died, when he was just one.

Indeed there were such concerns for his welfare that there were considerations to remove him from his mother’s care, but that never happened.

Following his death a joint investigation was launched by police and social services, but there were no initial suspicions over his death.

But all that changed just three months later, on April 1, when Bradley was also found unconscious in his bed and suffering cardiac arrest. Just hours earlier he had been a fit and healthy little boy who spent the day at nursery before being picked up by his gran and taken home.

But that evening neighbours reported hearing a row between Shelly Adams and her mother before passers-by watched her putting Bradley, who was crying and visibly upset, outside on a step.

She later took him back inside but was heard shouting at him. Within half an hour she had called a friend to say she had found Bradley unconscious in bed and thought he was dead.

The inquest was told how a neighbour called an ambulance and the child was rushed to hospital where doctors tried to resuscitate him, but tests a few days later found he was brain dead and a decision was taken to turn off his life support machine.

Doctors could find no reason and were suspicious about his death, the hearing was told, and Ms Adams was then arrested on suspicion of murder.

Detective Inspector Dave Dilly, from Hampshire’s major crime department, told how they looked into Ms Adams’ phone records and seized her computer, where they recovered conversations she had with friends describing Bradley as “naughty” and saying “I could kill him”.

Social workers reported that she was incapable of looking after her children in a safe, nurturing or caring environment and was unable to control them while medical experts determined that “something untoward had happened”.

Det Insp Dilly told the inquest that a file was prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service, but running parallel to the police investigation was a High Court “care” case taking place behind closed doors to determine the fate of a surviving child.

Hampshire police was not allowed access to the hearing, which lasted ten weeks and called evidence from 32 live witnesses as well as a wealth of information from experts.

However the outcome was to be significant – because the High Court judge, Mr Justice Baker, had to decide on the “balance of probability” if Ms Adams had killed her children.

Giving evidence, Det Insp Dilly said the allegation against Ms Adams was “unlawful killing by smothering” and that had the CPS proceeded with a criminal case she would have been charged with murder or manslaughter.

But after ten weeks of evidence at the High Court, Mr Justice Baker concluded that although there was “a significant possibility”

she was responsible, it could not be proved.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, the decision was then taken by the CPS that there was “insufficient evidence” for a realistic chance of prosecution and Ms Adams was released without charge.

Following yesterday’s inquest, Mr Wiseman recorded open determinations and said that there remained “considerable uncertainties about how the children came to die”.

He said: “The death of two young children in such controversial circumstances is extremely difficult for everyone to deal with and has long lasting repercussions for everyone concerned.”