The heartbreaking death of two-year-old Ethan Ives-Griffiths has left his loved ones shattered and searching for answers.
His aunt, Rebecca Shone, believes he might still be alive today if his father hadn’t been prevented from seeing him.
Instead, Ethan was left in the care of people who should have protected him but ended up causing his death.
A Bright Little Boy Lost
Ethan was known for his cheerful nature.
His aunt remembers him as a happy child with a smile that lit up every room.
But that joy was short-lived.
On August 16, 2021, Ethan’s life ended after suffering catastrophic injuries at the hands of his maternal grandparents, Michael and Kerry Ives, who have since been convicted of murder.
His mother, Shannon, was also found guilty of allowing his death.
A Child Failed by the System
At the time of his death, Ethan was severely underweight, malnourished, and dehydrated.
A post-mortem revealed he would not have survived more than ten days even without the injuries that killed him.
Despite being on the child protection register since birth, he was barely monitored in the weeks leading up to his death.
Social services should have seen him every ten days, but he was only visited once in the 41 days before he died.
A Troubled Family Situation
Ethan’s story took a tragic turn after a domestic dispute between his parents, Will Griffiths and Shannon Ives.
Following their split, Shannon moved with Ethan into her parents’ home in June 2021.
According to Rebecca Shone, the family always feared the environment there was unsafe, but no one imagined it would lead to Ethan’s death.
“If Will had still been able to see him,” she said, “Ethan would still be alive.”
Disturbing Footage Emerges
In the days before his death, harrowing footage showed Ethan being treated cruelly by his grandfather.
He was carried roughly by one arm, sprayed with a hose, and even encouraged to be hit by another child.
Other clips showed him struggling to walk, falling over, and being punched in the stomach.
By the time he collapsed on August 14, 2021, his little body was covered in more than 40 injuries.
A Family in Pieces
The news of Ethan’s death left his father and paternal family devastated.
His aunt described the loss as “heart wrenching” and said it was unbearable knowing Will had been denied his final weeks with his son.
Ethan’s father later said his son could finally “rest in peace” now that justice had been served, but the pain of losing him remains.
Where Social Services Went Wrong
Despite the clear warning signs, social services failed to act effectively.
On one visit, Shannon told a social worker that Ethan was asleep, and no further checks were carried out.
On another occasion, when no one answered the door, the matter was not escalated.
Ethan’s family now argue that this lack of follow-up was a fatal mistake.
Ethan’s Law: A Push for Reform
In Ethan’s memory, his aunt Rebecca is calling for “Ethan’s Law.”
The proposal aims to give social workers stronger powers to escalate cases to police when access to at-risk children is denied.
The family also want more frequent visits for vulnerable children—every 5 to 7 days for those on the register, and regular checks for children already known to social services.
Over 30,000 people have already signed a petition supporting these changes.
Honouring Ethan’s Short Life
Although Ethan’s life was cruelly cut short, his family hopes that his story can prevent future tragedies.
“We couldn’t save Ethan,” Rebecca said, “but we can honour him by making sure this never happens again.”
For them, pushing for change is the only way to give meaning to their devastating loss.
Justice and Accountability
Michael and Kerry Ives now face life sentences, while Shannon awaits a substantial prison term.
Meanwhile, Flintshire Council has promised full cooperation with an independent review into how such a tragedy was allowed to happen.
But for Ethan’s family, true justice will only come when the system is reformed to protect children like him from ever slipping through the cracks again.
