A 67-year-old woman has been found guilty of manslaughter for the death of her five-year-old stepdaughter, who died after being placed in a scalding hot bath in 1978. Janice Nix was convicted at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, nearly five decades after the incident in Thornton Heath, south London.
The victim, Andrea Bernard, suffered burns to 50% of her body and died six weeks after being admitted to hospital. Her older brother, Desmond Bernard, initially told authorities the death was an accident, but in 2022 he approached police with a new account. He testified that Nix had instructed him to lie, saying the incident occurred while they were in the garden, and promised she would stop beating him.
During the trial, Desmond Bernard, now 56, described hearing Nix shout at Andrea to get into the bath, followed by Andrea crying that it was too hot. He then heard screaming and splashing before silence. When he entered the bathroom, he saw his sister's limp body with skin falling off. He also detailed years of abuse by Nix, including beatings, biting, and being forced to eat cat food.
A burns expert testified that a child would instinctively try to escape such hot water, leading prosecutors to argue Nix forcibly held Andrea under water. Nix, who was in her late teens at the time and in a relationship with the children's father, had initially told an inquest in 1978 that Andrea had bathed herself. She later admitted to lying, citing panic and negligence as a teenager.
Nix was also found guilty of cruelty to Desmond Bernard between 1975 and 1978. She was remanded in custody for sentencing at a later date. After the verdict, Desmond Bernard expressed relief that Nix must now take responsibility, while the Crown Prosecution Service emphasised that time does not diminish the pursuit of justice for such crimes.
