Ruth Auta, a 28-year-old Nigerian nurse working 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 incident occurred on December 20, 2022, when Auta left her infant son unattended in her nurse’s accommodation for eight hours while she worked a shift at the Royal Bolton Hospital.
Upon returning home, Auta found her baby unresponsive in his cot, and despite prompt emergency services and resuscitation efforts, Joshua was pronounced dead an hour later. An autopsy revealed that the infant may have overheated due to excessive clothing and heavy bedding, contributing to his untimely death.
Auta was charged with cruelty to a child and pled guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on May 24, 2024. However, inconsistencies in her story emerged during the investigation, including contradictory CCTV footage and text messages. Auta had initially claimed she picked up her son from a childminder and found him unresponsive after falling asleep together.
Further complicating the case, Auta attempted to flee the country in June 2024, just before her trial, and was apprehended at Gatwick Airport with a one-way ticket to Nigeria.
District Crown Prosecutor Sara Davie emphasized the severity of Auta’s negligence and breach of trust, stating, “As a nurse, Ruth Auta should have been aware of the dangers of leaving her child unattended. Her failure to provide necessary care and attempts to evade justice demonstrate her lack of remorse.”
Auta, a single mother at the time of the incident, will serve a three-year prison sentence for her role in the death of her son.
