Cardiff: Mum accused of killing toddler through fasting

A mum killed her three-year-old lad done spiritual fasting during Covid lockdowns, a tribunal has heard.

Olabisi Abubakar, 42, was recovered "thin, malnourished and dehydrated" connected a sofa furniture alongside her son, Taiwo, successful June 2020.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the small lad and had died of malnutrition and dehydration.

Ms Abubakar denies manslaughter and neglect charges.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC told the assemblage connected Thursday that a person of Ms Abubakar raised the alarm erstwhile helium was incapable to interaction her.

Mr Heywood said constabulary forced unfastened the doorway of her level successful Cardiff to find a "tragic and distressing scene".

He said Ms Abubakar had "consciously and deliberately neglected" Taiwo by failing to supply nutrient and h2o and by "forcing him to accelerated with her".

He besides said that she suffered "delusions" arsenic a effect of suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

"There is grounds that arsenic a effect of that delusional state, she whitethorn not person noticed the carnal acts," Mr Heywood said.

The assemblage would person to determine whether and to what grade that was the case, helium said.

The tribunal heard Ms Abubakar is simply a Pentecostal Christian who believes that fasting is important to her faith.

But the tribunal was told that children are not expected to instrumentality portion successful the fast.

A notebook was recovered successful the level successful Ms Abubakar's handwriting which elaborate a fig of occasions erstwhile she and Taiwo were fasting to question assistance from God during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Abubakar aboriginal told constabulary that she had been fasting, but denied withholding nutrient and h2o from Taiwo.

She besides denied expanding her fasting due to the fact that she had not received the assistance she sought from God.

The tribunal heard Ms Abubakar came to the UK successful 2011 from Nigeria, archetypal staying successful London with her sister earlier moving to Cardiff successful 2017 arsenic an asylum seeker aft she gave birth.

Ms Abubakar told constabulary she didn't retrieve thing from the 3 days earlier the constabulary forced introduction to her flat.

"She believed she had been successful eden due to the fact that she could spot relatives who had died and heard angels singing. She said she didn't privation to dice and the angels brought her backmost to life," Mr Heywood said.

He said Taiwo was antecedently described arsenic a "fat, blessed and healthy" kid earlier helium and his parent disappeared from presumption successful the community.

Ms Abubakar was described arsenic being precise acrophobic by the dangers posed by Covid-19 and seldom near her flat.

A person who did buying for the parent and lad noticed that by aboriginal June 2020 Taiwo looked "thin and unhappy".

He raised the alarm erstwhile helium could not get a effect astatine Ms Abubakar's level connected 29 June 2020.

The assemblage person been told that Ms Abubakar is presently being treated for paranoid schizophrenia, and is appearing astatine tribunal via video nexus from a hospital.