Nigerian Nurse Sentenced in UK for Leaving Baby Alone While at Work
Ruth Auta, a 28-year-old nurse, has been sentenced to three years in prison for leaving her 10-week-old baby alone at home while she went to work. On December 20, 2022, Auta left her son, Joshua Akerele, at her accommodation near the Royal Bolton Hospital and did not return for over eight hours.
She called emergency services at 15:24, claiming that Joshua was not breathing. Despite attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at 16:40. The court found no conclusive cause of death but noted that Joshua might have overheated from being wrapped in too many layers of clothing and bedding.
Auta initially told police she had picked Joshua up from a childminder and found him unresponsive after falling asleep beside him. However, CCTV footage showed her leaving for work without Joshua and returning home alone. Messages on her phone revealed she had asked the childminder to falsely claim she had cared for Joshua that day.
Auta, who had tried to flee to Nigeria after pleading guilty to child cruelty, was arrested at Gatwick Airport on June 6. Prosecutor Sara Davie stated that Auta, a nurse, should have understood the risks of leaving her baby unattended and must now face the consequences of her actions. Davie also criticized Auta for lacking remorse and for misleading the police.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by Joshua’s tragic death,” Davie concluded.
