UK Nurse's Fatal Mistake: Neglect Leads to Baby's Death

Ruth Auta

UK Nurse Jailed After Neglect Leads to Baby's Death

Auta initially provided a false account to the police, claiming she had picked up Joshua from the...

UK Nurse Ruth Auta Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Neglecting Baby to Death - A tragic case of child neglect leads to devastating consequences.

Ruth Auta, a Nigerian nurse and single mother, has been sentenced to three years in prison in the UK for causing the death of her 10-week-old baby through neglect.

In December 2022, Auta left her infant son, Joshua Akerele, unattended at home for eight hours while she worked a shift. Tragically, she found him lifeless in his cot upon returning home.

Auta immediately called emergency services, reporting that Joshua was unresponsive. Despite resuscitation efforts, the baby passed away an hour after the ambulance arrived.

Investigations revealed that Joshua may have succumbed to overheating due to being overdressed and overwrapped in bedding.

Ruth Auta, a nurse at Royal Bolton Hospital, faced charges of child cruelty and pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates' Court on May 24, 2024.

Initially, her sentencing was postponed by a month, but Auta's plans took a dramatic turn when she was arrested at Gatwick Airport on June 6. Authorities caught her attempting to flee to Nigeria with a one-way ticket, just before her sentencing.

Auta initially provided a false account to the police, claiming she had picked up Joshua from the childminder, fed him, and then fallen asleep with him on her bed, only to discover him unresponsive upon waking.

However, her story unraveled when CCTV footage and text messages revealed a contradictory narrative. The footage showed Auta leaving and returning to her residence without Joshua, while texts exposed her instruction to the childminder to falsely claim she was caring for the baby that day. The childminder later confirmed that she had not seen Joshua for several days, further debunking Auta's claims.

“Ruth Auta failed to provide the care her baby needed and chose to leave him alone,” District Crown Prosecutor for Child Protective Services North West, Sara Davie, stated during the court hearing.

“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.”