Ruth Auta, a Nigerian nurse in the UK, was sentenced to three years in prison for leaving her 10-week-old son unattended for eight hours, leading to his death. CCTV footage and phone messages contradicted her initial claims, resulting in charges of child cruelty and her attempted escape to Nigeria.
A Nigerian nurse, Ruth Auta, has been sentenced to three years in prison by a UK court for the tragic death of her 10-week-old son, Joshua Akerele. On December 20, 2022, Auta left her infant alone in her accommodation at Royal Bolton Hospital while working an eight-hour shift. Upon returning, she found Joshua unresponsive and called emergency services. Despite efforts to revive him, the child was pronounced dead.
Initially, Auta claimed she had collected her son from a childminder after her shift and later found him unresponsive. However, CCTV footage contradicted her account, showing that she left her flat without Joshua. Investigations also revealed she asked the childminder to lie to the police about caring for the baby that day, which the nanny refused.
Auta was arrested in June while attempting to flee to Nigeria and was charged with cruelty to a child. Although no definitive cause of death was established, the court noted the baby may have overheated due to excessive clothing and bedding.
The prosecution emphasized Auta’s responsibility as a nurse and mother, highlighting the gravity of her negligence. While some online commentators expressed sympathy due to the challenges of single parenthood, others stressed that her actions were unjustifiable.
