A Nigerian nurse, Ruth Auta, residing in the United Kingdom, has been sentenced to three years in prison for child negligence following the tragic death of her 10-week-old son, Joshua Akerele.

The 28-year-old single mother was found guilty of leaving her infant unattended for an extended period while she worked a shift at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

The heartbreaking incident took place on December 20, 2022, when Auta, living in nurse’s accommodation, reportedly left Joshua alone in his cot for eight hours.

Upon returning from her shift, she discovered her son unresponsive and immediately called emergency services.

Despite the paramedics’ efforts to revive the baby, Joshua was tragically pronounced dead one hour later.

Investigations revealed that Joshua may have died from overheating, as he had been wrapped in heavy clothing and bedding.

This likely caused his body temperature to rise to dangerous levels during the hours he was left unattended.

Auta faced charges of child cruelty and negligence and pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on May 24, 2024.

During the investigation, it emerged that Auta had initially attempted to mislead authorities about the circumstances surrounding her son’s death.

She had claimed to have collected Joshua from a childminder and had fallen asleep with him before discovering him unresponsive.

However, CCTV footage and text message evidence later contradicted her story.

Footage showed Auta leaving and returning to her accommodation without Joshua, and messages revealed that she had asked the childminder to lie, saying she had looked after Joshua on that day.

Further compounding the case was Auta’s attempt to flee the UK.

In June 2024, she was intercepted by authorities at Gatwick Airport with a one-way ticket to Nigeria, an act seen as an attempt to evade justice.

Her plan to leave the country just weeks after her court appearance only further deepened the gravity of her crime in the eyes of the court.

During the sentencing, District Crown Prosecutor Sara Davie remarked on Auta’s professional background, noting that as a nurse, she should have been acutely aware of the risks of leaving an infant unattended for such a long period.

Davie condemned Auta’s actions, stating, “Her failure to provide the necessary care for her child, along with her attempts to evade justice, clearly show a lack of remorse for her son’s tragic death.”

Ruth Auta will now serve a three-year prison sentence for her role in the devastating loss of her infant son, marking a deeply sorrowful conclusion to the case.