Ruth Auta, a 28-year-old nurse, has been sentenced to three years in prison for leaving her 10-week-old baby, Joshua Akerele, home alone while she went to work.
Auta On December 20, 2022, left her son at her nurses’ accommodation at the Royal Bolton Hospital around 6:30 am and returned over eight hours later. She called an ambulance at 15:24, reporting that her son was not breathing, and he was pronounced dead at 16:40 despite attempts to resuscitate him.
Auta had initially told police that she had collected Joshua from a childminder after work and found him unresponsive when she woke up, but CCTV footage and messages on her phone revealed that she had left him alone all day.
She was charged with cruelty to a child and pleaded guilty, but tried to flee the country before sentencing.
Sara Davie from the Crown Prosecution Service stated, “Whilst she went to work to provide care for other people, Ruth Auta left the very person who needed her care the most home alone.” Davie emphasized that as a nurse, Auta should have known the dangers of leaving her baby unattended and “must now live with the consequences of the terrible decision she made that day.”
The court heard that Joshua was a healthy baby, and no conclusive cause of death could be given, but it was suggested that he may have overheated due to the layers of clothing and bedding he was wrapped in. Auta showed no remorse throughout the case and tried to mislead police about her childcare arrangements.
Davie added, “Our thoughts and sympathies are with all those who have been affected by Joshua’s death.” Auta’s actions were deemed a “terrible decision” that resulted in tragic consequences, highlighting the importance of prioritizing the care and well-being of vulnerable individuals, especially children.
