Ruth Auta, a Nigerian nurse working in the United Kingdom, has been sentenced to three years in prison for neglecting her ten-week-old baby, Joshua Akerele, who died while she was at work, according to the Daily Mail.
The 28-year-old single mother had left Joshua alone in her nurse’s accommodation for eight hours on December 20, 2022, to complete her shift. Upon returning, she found her son lifeless in his cot and immediately called 999, reporting that he was not breathing.
Despite resuscitation efforts, the infant died an hour after the ambulance arrived. Tests indicated that he might have overheated due to excessive layers of clothing and bedding.
Auta, who was employed at Royal Bolton Hospital as a nurse, faced charges of cruelty to a child. She pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on May 24, 2024, although her sentencing was postponed by a month.
On June 6, while trying to board a flight to Nigeria with a one-way ticket, she was apprehended at Gatwick Airport.
She had told the police that she collected Joshua from a childminder, fed him, and then fell asleep with him on her bed. She claimed that she found him unresponsive when she woke up.
READ ALSO: US Election: Trump Will Bring Americans Back to God, He’ll Bring Light if Elected — Pastor Giwa
However, CCTV footage and incriminating text messages contradicted her account. The footage showed Auta leaving and returning to her accommodation without Joshua, while text messages revealed she had instructed her childminder to falsely claim she was caring for Joshua that day. The childminder later confirmed she had not seen the baby for several days.
In her judgment, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, Sara Davie, stated, “Ruth Auta failed to provide the necessary care for her baby and chose to leave him alone.
As a nurse, she should have been aware of the risks of leaving her child unattended. Her attempts to evade justice further highlight her lack of remorse.”
Follow Parallel Facts on WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
