Parents whose 8-week-old died with 60 broken bones jailed
A couple whose eight-week-old baby girl died with 60 broken bones after being subjected to a campaign of abuse have been jailed.
Naomi Johnson, 24, and Benjamin O'Shea, 26, called paramedics to their home in Southwark, south London, on 26 April 2019, after their daughter Amina-Faye Johnson stopped breathing.
Despite medics' best efforts, Amina died at the scene.
O'Shea was today sentenced to eight years and eight months in jail, while Johnson was handed a jail term of seven years and two months.
Both of them were also each given two months, to be served consecutively, after being found guilty of cruelty to a person under-16 in relation to a separate child.
The cause of her death was originally believed to be Sudden Unexplained Death in Infants as there were no observable injuries, but a post mortem X-ray uncovered a catalogue of injuries Amina suffered in her two months of life.
She was found to have 41 fractures on her ribs and 24 limb fractures.
Some were found to be recent injuries, while others had begun to heal - indicating she had been abused for some time.
An expert pathologist concluded that given the constellation of fractures, these could not have been caused accidentally.
The pair claimed the horrific injuries Amina sustained were due to the paramedics.
Following a four-week trial, they were found guilty of causing or allowing the child to suffer serious physical harm, and also of cruelty to a person under-16 in relation to a separate child.
In relation to the second child, who was known to the pair, detectives found texts between the pair where they both admit to slapping the child and treating the child poorly.
Judge Nigel Peters QC, sentencing at Inner London Crown Court, said that “sadly” this is “yet another harrowing case of parents abusing or being cruel to their child”, adding that “there is no doubt that this is a case of the highest seriousness in terms of cruelty to children in terms of the injuries”.
Medics could not establish a cause of death of “this poor child” and it is not possible to lay blame on which parent caused the fatal injuries and who stood back and allowed it to happen, the court heard.
The judge added that “it is remarkable in this case” that there were no signs of any fractures but the medical experts had found that the injuries were non-accidental and force needed to be applied.
