Grieving young mum unmasked as a major Class A drug dealer

A grieving young mother whose baby died in a bath-time accident has been jailed – after police years later discovered she was running a secret cocaine trafficking racket. 

Lana Hibbert, 23, was left heartbroken when 14 month-old son Corey Blake Grantham tragically died on 28th October 2020, at the Royal Bolton Hospital, after being found unresponsive in the bath. 

Three years later Hibbert was arrested at home in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in a 7am raid after officers were tipped off she had been peddling Class A cocaine and Class B cannabis for nine months. 

Drugs squad officers found £2665 cash, weighing scales and £710 worth of drugs and on her pink iPhone discovered references to “bashing” – a street term for adulterating street drugs to boost profits. 

When arrested she falsely claimed the drugs were for her own use and the dirty money seized had been set aside to pay for a headstone for her tragic toddler. 

But at Bolton Crown Court Hibbert – who was cautioned in 2020 for child neglect – admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cannabis and possessing of criminal property and jailed for three years.

Judge Nicholas Clarke KC told her: “You told a pack of lies when you were interviewed. 

“Officers found numerous (phone) messages relating to ‘sniff’ and ‘bashing’ and requesting supplies of cocaine. Those messages place you being in a significant role in dealing drugs. 

“You said the cash was for the headstone of your deceased child and that was savings from benefits – that is all a pack of lies. 

“Refences had also been made to callouts in relation to domestic problems. You have been the complainant and the victim but also an alleged perpetrator. 

”You say you have been reflecting about what has gone wrong so I hope a period in custody will allow you to complete your reflections.” 

The raid took place in November 2023 following intelligence Hibbert was running her crime rugs racket from home over a period dating back to the previous February. 

Prosecutor Miss Harriet Eglinton said: “The defendant was detained in an upstairs bedroom and officers seized a white snap bag containing white powder which was 1.6 grams of cocaine. 

“Officers also found a pink iPhone, cash in three  bundles, a clear tub of white powder, digital scales containing traces of white powder two bags containing 34.1g of cannabis, snaps bags and a clear tubs in the kitchen where they were further traces of white powder. When cautioned she said: ‘I don’t deal crack – I’m into smack.’ 

“The iPhone was examined and there were a number of messages showing evidence the defendant was dealing cocaine and cannabis. 

“Messages included mentions of ‘sniff’ and ‘bashing’ and there were numerous messages regarding deals amounts and prices. 

“She was questioned and said she was a user of cocaine and cannabis and not a dealer. She said the drugs were for her personal use and she had simply bagged them up for herself. 

“She alleged the cash found was for the headstone of her deceased child. She refused to hand over the passcode to her pink iPhone.”

Hibbert now faces a Proceeds of Crime hearing. In mitigation, she said she had been suffering mental health issues. 

In 2022 an inquest into Corey’s death was told the tragic events began after the toddler began “splashing in the bath” at the family home causing the floor to become wet.  

Hibbert said she left the bathroom “momentarily” to check if the tumble drier had finished, to collect fresh towels. She then called a friend to say her son wasn’t breathing. 

An ambulance service worker later talked Miss Hibbert through how to perform CPR and once paramedics arrived, the toddler was taken to the children’s A&E at the Royal Bolton Hospital but pronounced dead after resuscitation failed. 

Timothy Brennand, Manchester West senior coroner, said: “Corey was well nourished and there is nothing that would suggest he was anything other than a normal child being well cared for. 

“He was found unresponsive having been left unsupervised over a period of between one and five minutes. 

“The real tragedy of the case is any period where there is no face-to-face supervision can give rise to this situation, and are the makings of any parent’s worst nightmare.” 

In a statement to the inquest Miss Hibbert said: “Corey didn’t bother with toys because he loved people. He was a normal and happy boy.”