Two-Year-Old Girl Drowns in Garden Bin in London After Mum Was Forced to Leave Her with Stranger – Family Speaks Out
A mother from Nigeria, Balikis Adeoye, has shared her heartbreak after her two-year-old daughter, Mazeedat, tragically drowned in a garden bin in London. The incident occurred after Balikis was compelled to leave her daughter with a stranger while she attended to her three-month-old son, who was undergoing heart surgery in a hospital.
Speaking during an inquest, Balikis explained that on January 29, 2022, she had no choice but to leave her daughter with caregivers she did not know or trust well enough. She was desperate to be by her son’s side while he recovered from surgery but struggled to find appropriate care for Mazeedat due to her precarious living situation.
Balikis told the inquest that she had been in contact with social services at Newham Council, seeking a foster placement for her daughter while she focused on her son’s medical needs. However, despite her pleas, no placement was arranged, and she was advised to ask friends for help instead. At the time, Balikis was classified as an overstayer in the UK, which meant she was not eligible for public assistance.
“I can’t find the words to explain the pain of losing Mazeedat,” Balikis said. “She was my sunshine, the most beautiful and happy little girl. When she was born, she became the best thing in my life. I’ll forever cherish the precious moments we shared, even though they were far too short. I just hope my story can help other families avoid this heartbreak.”
Mazeedat was found in a garden bin at a property in Dagenham, East London, a few hours after an alarm was raised. The bin contained approximately nine centimeters of water, and a post-mortem examination later confirmed the cause of death as drowning.
The inquest heard that, prior to the incident, Balikis had moved to the UK in March 2021. In September of that year, her baby son had been diagnosed with a serious heart condition, requiring surgery. As a result, she was in a difficult position, living on sofas and without stable housing. Balikis had been referred to Newham Council four months before Mazeedat’s death, asking for help in securing proper care for her daughter while she attended to her son in the hospital.
Despite her requests, social services did not arrange a foster placement for Mazeedat, leaving Balikis with no choice but to leave her daughter in the care of people she didn’t know. “I had no choice but to leave her with them, given the alternative was to leave my baby alone in the hospital after his heart surgery,” she explained.
Mazeedat was reported missing on January 29, and her body was discovered later that day. The inquest concluded that her death was the result of “gross failure” by both the caregivers and the local authorities in their duty to ensure her safety. Coroner Graeme Irvine criticized Newham Council for their failure to support the family and arrange appropriate care for the child, stating that Mazeedat’s death could likely have been prevented if the opportunity for a foster placement had been pursued.
Newham Council has since acknowledged their role in the tragedy, with a spokesperson stating: “We were devastated by Mazeedat’s tragic death, and our thoughts remain with her family. Following the incident, we launched an investigation into our practices, and significant changes have been made. Ofsted has since recognized the improvements, now rating our services as ‘Good’.”
The coroner also announced plans to write a report aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future, highlighting the missed opportunity to protect Mazeedat and the lack of proper care arrangements.
Balikis has vowed to keep Mazeedat’s memory alive and hopes her painful story will bring attention to the challenges faced by families in vulnerable situations, particularly in the absence of adequate social support.
