In May 2021, Sarah Ngaba received a 14-year prison sentence for her involvement in the assault of her 7-week-old daughter back in November 2019. Ngaba delayed seeking medical assistance for her infant, Eliza, for a span of two hours. Upon arriving at the hospital, she provided false information about the circumstances surrounding Eliza’s injuries, which rendered the baby “floppy and unresponsive.”
Medical professionals concluded that the baby’s injuries were consistent with physical abuse. Tragically, the assault inflicted permanent damage on the infant, leaving her reliant on others for the entirety of her life.
Hailing from Telford, Shropshire, Ngaba, although conceding to having struck the infant, maintained that her intention was not to cause harm. Nevertheless, she was convicted of intentionally inflicting serious bodily harm. During Ngaba’s sentencing, Detective Inspector Jo Whitehead of the West Mercia Police characterized her actions as a stark contrast to those of a nurturing mother.
Warren Stanier, representing the Crown Protection Service, noted that Ngaba frequently altered her account of events and attempted to attribute blame to the infant’s father, even though he was not present during the assault.
In a recent development, it has come to light that Eliza, the baby in question, tragically passed away on August 15, 2022, at the age of two. Eliza had been admitted to the Princess Royal Hospital on August 11th, suffering from pneumonia and COVID. Heath Westerman, the deputy coroner for Shropshire and Telford, disclosed that he was informed that Eliza’s demise was associated with a traumatic brain injury.
The West Mercia Police have officially verified that their detectives are currently reevaluating the case following the news of the child’s passing. A spokesperson from the police department has affirmed that there will be additional investigations conducted to ascertain whether any additional measures are warranted. It’s worth noting that Ngaba, who was 27 years old at the time of her imprisonment in 2021, has been serving her 14-year sentence at Stafford Crown Court.
Furthermore, an inquest into Eliza’s demise is scheduled to take place on December 14, 2023.
