A mother has been found guilty of causing the death of her 11-month-old baby daughter after she housed her in squalor and failed to seek medical treatment for her when she became ill as a result.
Fartun Jamal was found guilty on Friday, 4 March of causing the death of Nafahat Diini as well as three counts of child cruelty following a trial at Harrow Crown Court.
Detective Chief Inspector Madeline Ryder, the senior investigating officer, said: “This is an absolutely tragic case that resulted in the needless death of an innocent baby.
"The death of a child is an investigation that no police officer ever wishes to undertake.
Fartun Jamal
Met Police
“No child should ever have to suffer in this manner. Baby Nafahat was only 11 months old when she died in squalid conditions, surrounded by walls covered in faeces. She died of an illness that was very, very treatable if Jamal had bothered to seek medical attention. What is even more harrowing, is that her GP’s surgery was less than 70 metres away from where she died and could be seen from Nafahat’s bedroom window, so help for Nafahat was within very easy reach.
“The investigation team led by Detective Sergeant John Martin have worked tirelessly to secure this conviction and, without exception, all have been touched by this heartbreaking case. Our thoughts today are with the Nafahat’s family.”
The court heard that police were called on 13 March 2019 by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) who requested assistance to a call made by Jamal stating that her daughter was not breathing.
Officers and the LAS attended and carried out first aid, but despite their best efforts Nafahat was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a respiratory tract infection (bronchitis complicated with pneumonia).
Upon opening the front door to the property, the officers commented on a strong smell of urine coming from inside.
In the bedroom where Nafahat was found, there was human faeces smeared on the walls and window. Nafahat’s cot had a broken and collapsed side and contained several blankets and duvets. The cot and bedding were all soaked in urine. The cot itself was a travel cot and was not a suitable bed for a child of Nafahat’s age.
In Jamal’s bedroom, officers found mouse droppings on her mattress and human faeces on the walls.
Several of the rooms contained carrier bags full of dirty nappies and plates of rotting food.
Officers searched the kitchen and found hardly any food. The only items in the fridge were two bottles of milk that were nearly empty. In the broken freezer was a melted carton of ice cream. On the windowsill was a container of cooked and congealed pasta that was being used as an ash tray.
Jamal told officers that she had offered Nafahat formula milk earlier that morning but she had refused it. However, officers found no formula milk in the flat.
There were no photos of Nafahat in the property and no toys were found.
The doctor who pronounced Nafahat dead told officers it was a case of neglect.
Jamal was arrested on suspicion of neglect and answered no comment to all questions. Detectives spent months working around the clock to secure evidence against Jamal and as a result she was charged on 17 December 2020 and convicted as above.
She will be sentenced at the same court on a date to be set in due course.
