Mother caused death of baby daughter through neglect in squalid flat

11-month-old died in foul room where she slept on urine-soaked bedding

Fartun Jamal was convicted at Harrow Crown Court (PA)

A mother has been found guilty of causing the death of her 11-month-old daughter after housing her in squalid conditions and failing to take her to a doctor when she became ill as a result.

Fartun Jamal, of Kingfisher Way, Neasden was convicted on Friday over the death Nafahat Diini. A trial at Harrow Crown Court also found the 25-year-old guilty on three counts of child cruelty.

She will be sentenced at a later date.

The court heard that the London Ambulance Service received a call from Jamal on 13 March 2019 stating that her daughter was not breathing.

Paramedics went to the flat with police and found the child had been sleeping in a room with human faeces smeared on the wall.

Nafahat was pronounced dead at the scene. The doctor present told officers it was a case of neglect.

A post-mortem examination gave her cause of death as a respiratory tract infection – bronchitis complicated with pneumonia.

When police opened the door to the property, officers noted a strong smell of urine coming from inside.

Police said Nafahat was found in a bedroom faeces smeared on the walls and window. The child’s cot had a collapsed side and contained several blankets and duvets.

The cot and bedding were soaked in urine, police said. The cot itself was a travel cot and was not a suitable bed for a child of Nafahat’s age.

Nafahat was found in flat on Kingfisher Way, NW10 (Google)

Officers said there was also faeces on the wall of Jamal’s bedroom and mouse droppings on her mattress.

Several of the rooms contained carrier bags full of dirty nappies and plates with rotting food on.

Police said there was hardly any food in the kitchen. The only items in the fridge were two near empty bottles of milk

Jamal told officers she had offered Nafahat formula milk earlier that morning but the infant refused it.

Police said they could not find any formula milk in the flat. There were no photos of Nafahat in the property nor any toys.

Jamal was arrested on suspicion of neglect and answered no comment to all questions.

Police said detectives worked for months to secure evidence against Jamal and she was charged 17 December 2020.

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.”

DCI Ryder said Nafahat “died of an illness that was very, very treatable if Jamal had bothered to seek medical attention”.

She noted that the child’s GP surgery “could be seen from Nafahat’s bedroom window, so help for Nafahat was within very easy reach”.