Nigerian Nurse jailed in UK for neglecting infant son who died alone

A Nigerian nurse in the United Kingdom, Ruth Auta, has been sentenced to three years in prison for neglecting her 10-week-old baby, Joshua Akerele, who tragically died while she was at work.

The 28-year-old single mother reportedly left Joshua alone in her nurse’s accommodation for eight hours on December 20, 2022, while she completed her shift at the Royal Bolton Hospital. Upon returning, she found her son lifeless in his cot and immediately called emergency services, reporting that he was not breathing.

Despite efforts to resuscitate him, Joshua was pronounced dead an hour after the ambulance arrived. Medical tests suggested that the infant might have overheated due to excessive layers of clothing and bedding.

Auta was charged with cruelty to a child and pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on May 24, 2024. Her sentencing was delayed by a month, and she was apprehended on June 6 at Gatwick Airport while attempting to board a one-way flight to Nigeria.

During the investigation, Auta initially claimed she had collected Joshua from a childminder, fed him, and then fell asleep with him on her bed, only to find him unresponsive upon waking. However, CCTV footage and text messages contradicted her story, showing that she had left and returned to her accommodation without Joshua.

The texts also revealed she had instructed her childminder to state that she was caring for Joshua that day falsely.

The childminder later confirmed she had not seen the baby for several days.

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