A Nigerian nurse working in the United Kingdom, Ruth Auta, 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 a report by the Daily Mail.
The 28-year-old single mother reportedly left Joshua alone in her nurse’s accommodation for eight hours on December 20, 2022, while she completed her shift. Upon returning, she found her son lifeless in his cot and immediately called 999, reporting that he was not breathing.
EKO HOT BLOG gathered that despite resuscitation efforts, the baby died an hour after paramedics arrived. Tests indicated that Joshua may have overheated due to being covered in excessive layers of clothing and bedding.
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Auta, employed at Royal Bolton Hospital, was charged with child cruelty. She pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on May 24, 2024, but her sentencing was delayed.
On June 6, she was apprehended at Gatwick Airport with a one-way ticket to Nigeria, attempting to flee. Initially, Auta told police that she had collected Joshua from a childminder, fed him, and fallen asleep with him on her bed, only to find him unresponsive upon waking. However, CCTV footage and text messages contradicted her account.
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The footage showed Auta leaving and returning to her accommodation without the baby, and texts revealed she had instructed the childminder to lie about caring for Joshua that day. The childminder later confirmed she hadn’t seen the baby for several days.
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In her judgement, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, Sara Davie, stated, “Ruth Auta failed to provide the care her baby needed and chose to leave him alone. As a nurse, she should have been aware of the dangers of leaving her child unattended. Her attempts to evade justice further demonstrate her lack of remorse.”
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