With the identity of the mother and partner kept anonymous, her defiance in front of the cameras in defending her service gifted the media a visible target on which to vent the public's rage. It whipped up the storm that precipitated the vile, and wholly unfair, personal abuse against her and that led eventually to Children's Secretary Ed Balls' call for her removal.
Make no mistake, some sections of the press behaved appallingly towards Shoesmith. And yet there is no doubt that the shockwaves over Baby P would be much less severe had Shoesmith demonstrated a little more humility and humanity.
While she may still quite justifiably feel no personal or professional culpability over what happened to Baby P, in her position she had to take ultimate responsibility - and that required a clear-cut apology. Leaders in other walks of public life have demonstrated the courage and nous to say sorry when a tragedy or mishap has occurred on their watch.
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