Young mom left baby alone to starve to death for six days while she partied for her birthday
A young mom who left her baby alone at home for six days while she celebrated her birthday has pled guilty to manslaughter.
19-year-old Verphy Kudi was convicted in court this morning where it was heard how she had walked out on 20-month-old Asiah in December 2019.
Our sister title The Mirror reports how the teenager left her home in Brighton, Sussex, on December 5 to celebrate her 18 th birthday and did not return until December 11.
CCTV footage captured the moments she walked out and returned to the property where her baby had starved to death.
Lewes Crown Court heard how her baby was rushed to Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival and a post-mortem examination and forensic tests found that Asiah’s death was the result of neglect.
She was starved, dehydrated and had also contracted influenza.
Kudi appeared in the dock this morning wearing a blue face mask, a plain black top and black trousers.
She had been due to stand trial later this year but formally entered a guilty plea to manslaughter.
She held her hands to her face after the charge was read to her.
Judge Christine Laing QC told her: “You have heard that before I get to sentence you the defence want to get a report on your behalf and a doctor will no doubt make arrangements to see you and interview you over the next few weeks.”
The judge ordered that all social services records relating to the case be disclosed to the defence ahead of sentencing.
The case was adjourned to a provisional sentencing date of May 28, but Kudi was warned this may be delayed.
The mum, who has been in prison since being charged in October last year, was remanded in custody.
She waved at dad Muba Kudi, 59, after staff pointed him out during the hearing.
Speaking after, he said: “My heart is so broken. My daughter was missing. She had been missing since the age of 14.”
Asiah was born on March 22, 2018.
She had been living at the flat in Brighton with her mother, which they had been housed by social services since September 30, 2019.
The baby was under a child protection plan but there was no social worker assigned when she died.
On December 11, at 6:06pm, Kudi dialled 999 telling a call handler her baby would not wake up.
Staff at the Brighton mother and baby unit for teen mums where they had been living contacted police days later after reviewing CCTV footage.
Cameras showed Kudi leaving the building on December 5 at 5:39pm. She did not return until December 11.
Data gathered by Sussex Police showed Kudi had been at parties in London, Coventry and Solihull before returning to Brighton.
A safeguarding review into the case has been launched by Brighton and Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership (BHSCP).
via: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/young-mum-left-baby-alone-23801295
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