A Nigerian nurse based in the United Kingdom, Ruth Auta, has been sentenced to three years in prison for leaving her 10-week-old baby to die while she went to work.
The 28-year-old mother left her infant son, Joshua Akerele, alone in her nurse’s accommodation for eight hours as she completed her shift at the Royal Bolton Hospital on December 20, 2022.
Upon returning to her room, Auta discovered Joshua unresponsive in his cot and immediately called emergency services, reporting that her baby was not breathing.
Initially, Auta claimed that she had collected Joshua from a childminder after her shift, brought him home, fed him, and placed him on her bed before falling asleep beside him. She told authorities that she woke up to find him unresponsive.
However, this version of events unraveled when police uncovered CCTV footage showing Auta leaving and returning to her accommodation without Joshua on the day of the incident.
Further investigation revealed incriminating text messages in which Auta urged the childminder to lie and say she had been caring for Joshua that day. The childminder, however, told police she had not seen the baby in several days.
Auta was charged with child cruelty and pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on May 24, 2024. Her sentencing was initially delayed by a month.
On June 6, 2024, Auta attempted to flee the country by purchasing a one-way ticket to Nigeria. She was detained at Gatwick Airport while trying to board the flight.
Auta appeared at Bolton Crown Court yesterday, where she was sentenced to three years in prison. A spokesperson said, “Auta has shown no remorse throughout the investigation, having misled the police about her childcare arrangements and attempting to evade justice by fleeing the country. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the tragic death of Joshua.”
