A mother has been convicted of murdering her seven-week-old daughter after fracturing the infant's skull and purchasing a lottery ticket before taking her to hospital.
Sarah Ngaba, 32, admitted causing what the court described as “dreadful, life-shortening and life-limiting” head injuries to Eliza Ngaba but denied murder, arguing instead that she was guilty of infanticide.
Following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, a jury delivered a majority verdict of 10 to two after nine and a half hours of deliberation over three days, finding Ngaba guilty of Eliza's murder. Trial judge Mrs Justice Brunner KC announced that sentencing would take place on June 12.
The court heard that Ngaba, formerly of Briarwood in Brookside, Telford, Shropshire, had previously been convicted of causing grievous bodily harm to her child, who was left profoundly disabled by the assault. Eliza, born in London, died at age two in August 2022 from a respiratory infection, having been rendered vulnerable by the injuries sustained in November 2019.
Medical evidence revealed that Eliza's injuries resulted from forceful shaking combined with a significant impact to the head, causing a complex skull fracture. The prosecution detailed that on November 13, 2019, Ngaba took a bath and bought a lottery ticket from a shop before calling a taxi to take Eliza to the hospital.
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