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Auta, a 28-year-old single mother, had reportedly left the deceased, Joshua Akerele, all alone in her nurse's accommodation for eight hours on December 20, 2022, to complete her shift.
On returning, she found Joshua's lifeless body in his cot and immediately called 999 to report that the infant was no longer breathing.
The baby died an hour after the ambulance arrived despite efforts to resuscitate him. Tests revealed that Joshua might have died as a result of excessive heat caused by layers of clothing and bedding.
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The mother, who worked at Royal Bolton Hospital, was subsequently charged with cruelty to a child and pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on May 24, 2024, but her sentencing was delayed by one month.
On June 6, 2024, Auta attempted to leave the UK but was apprehended at Gatwick Airport as she was about to board a flight to Nigeria with a one-way ticket.
Initially, the mother told police that she collected Joshua from a childminder, fed him, and then fell asleep with him on her bed, adding that she found the infant unresponsive upon waking.
However, CCTV footage and indiscriminate text messages contradicted her claims.
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In the footage, Auta was seen leaving and returning to her accommodation without her child, and texts revealed she had instructed her childminder to falsely state she was caring for Joshua that day.
The childminder later confirmed that she had not seen the deceased for several days leading to the incident.
While giving her judgement, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, Sara Davie, said Auta failed in her parental care of the baby.
“Ruth Auta failed to provide the care her baby needed and chose to leave him alone.
As a nurse, she should have been aware of the dangers of leaving her child unattended. Her attempts to evade justice further demonstrate her lack of remorse,” Davie said per Daily Mail.
