A Nigerian woman, Olabisi Abubakar, 42, from Cardiff, is facing trial in the United Kingdom for two counts of manslaughter and child cruelty resulting in the death of her three-year-old son, Taiwo Abubakar.
Olabisi, a devout Pentecostal Christian with deep religious beliefs, allegedly starved her son to death when she made him join her in a fast during the coronavirus pandemic that struck in 2020.
According to the Mail Online, Olabisi who is an asylum seeker, claimed “she had locked herself away” during the crisis out of fear of contracting the virus and because of her immigration status.
The police were called to rescue the Nigerian after a friend reportedly raised concerns over her welfare, and had to forcefully gain entrance into her residence in the Cathays area on June 29, 2020.
Prosecutors told the Crown Court of Cardiff that Olabisi was discovered lying on a sofa bed next to her dead son, thin, malnourished and dehydrated.
During court proceedings, a pathologist made it known that Taiwo had died from malnutrition and dehydration.
The Police also informed the court that the woman had been detained in a hospital where she was receiving medical treatment for paranoid schizophrenia, a pattern of behavior where a person feels distrustful and suspicious of other people and acts accordingly.
Delusions, hallucinations, difficulty thinking clearly, withdrawal from family and friends and a significant decline in self-care are some of the symptoms that can involve paranoia.
Prosecutors established that she caused her young son to fast, depriving him of both food and water, due to fears of the coronavirus pandemic and personal pressures.
Olabisi, however, repeatedly denied the allegation, saying that children should not be made to fast until they turn 12.
She reportedly told the Police that she had fallen asleep on June 26, with the belief she was in heaven before she was brought back to life when they arrived in the company of her neighbour.
“Olabisi Abubakar said she couldn’t explain what happened to her. She was asleep on the bed and that is what she remembered last. She said she believed she was being punished by God,” the prosecuting lawyer Peter Donnison said.
The defence counsel told the court that it is not disputed that Olabisi, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to London in 2011, neglected her son but the issue was her state of mind at the time.
As Olabisi’s trial continues, the court will have to decide whether Olabisi may have been insane, which would make her not guilty of charges against her by reason of insanity.
If the court finds that she was mentally ill at the time, she could be freed and allowed to go home upon the conclusion of the case.
Culled from: ICIR
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