Mother guilty of baby murder after breaking skull

A woman who fractured the skull of her seven-week-old daughter, who went on to die aged two, has been convicted of her murder.

Sarah Ngaba, 32, accepted she caused "dreadful, life-shortening and life-limiting" head injuries to Eliza in 2019, but had denied murder, following her daughter's death in 2022.

But a jury at Birmingham Crown Court found her guilty, by a majority verdict of 10 to two, after deliberating for more than nine hours over three days.

The court heard Eliza died from a respiratory infection, having been left vulnerable by the skull fracture, for which Ngaba, formerly of Telford, Shropshire, was already serving a 14-year jail term.

Warning - this article contains distressing content

The defendant, who is due to be sentenced on 12 June, had been sent to prison in May 2021 for the assault, leading Eliza to be placed into foster care, the court heard.

The assault left the young girl with a life-changing head injury from which she was profoundly disabled and vulnerable to severe complications from infection.

Evidence presented to the jury showed she would not have died from such an infection had she not been left so vulnerable by the injuries inflicted by Ngaba 33 months earlier.

During her latest trial, Ngaba accepted she had caused Eliza's head injuries.

She had denied murder, but had pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of infanticide, which was put to her while the case was being heard.

Eliza's injuries were caused by forceful shaking, "together with a very significant impact" to the head, causing a complex skull fracture, on 13 November 2019, the court was told.

However, instead of taking her straight to hospital, Ngaba took a bath and bought a lottery ticket before taking Eliza to A&E in a taxi.

Jonas Hankin, prosecuting, said a witness who saw Eliza on a video call on the morning of the assault "could see that her body was shaking", advising Ngaba to take Eliza to hospital immediately.

Hankin said despite this, she rang for a taxi at 08:13 GMT. She was told one was not available until 08:50 and that if she needed to get to hospital sooner, she would have to make alternative arrangements.

She did not call for an ambulance and instead settled for the later taxi, arriving at hospital at 09:05.

Ngaba was described by the taxi driver as being very calm and not seeming worried, Hankin said, and hospital staff noted she seemed annoyed, detached and concerned about housing rather than her baby's medical emergency.

"That evidence is difficult to reconcile with the suggestion that the assault on Eliza was the product of an acute childbirth-caused disturbance of mind," Hankin said.

"It is more consistent with a lack of urgency, with detachment, self-concern, and a failure simply to prioritise her daughter's welfare."

Ngaba was charged with murder after London-born Eliza died in August 2022, from the infection she had been left vulnerable to after the defendant attacked her.

"This was an utterly tragic case in which a young child suffered devastating injuries at the hands of the very person who should have protected her," said Det Ch Insp Lee Holehouse, speaking after the verdict was handed down.

"Eliza lived with the consequences of that violence for the rest of her short life, and today's verdict reflects the seriousness of the harm inflicted upon her."

The little girl's family paid tribute to her, saying: "Our time with Eliza was too short and our hearts are broken. We are privileged to be Eliza's family.

"We love her dearly and miss her terribly every day."

The judge Mrs Justice Brunner paid tribute to Eliza's foster parents, who she said showed "quiet dignity on every day of this trial".

"It is clear you gave her great love and care," she added.

She told Ngaba she would face a mandatory life sentence for ger daughter's murder.

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