Teen mother admits killing her 20-month-old daughter

A teenage mother who left her 20-month-old baby home alone for six days while she celebrated her birthday has been convicted of manslaughter.

Verphy Kudi, 19, walked out on baby Asiah on the day she turned 18 and partied for six days while the infant starved to death.

CCTV showed she left her Brighton flat on December 5, 2019, her 18th birthday, and did not return until December 11 when she found her baby dead.

Verphy Kudi, 19, walked out on baby Asiah on the day she turned 18 and partied for six days while the infant starved to death 

Verphy Kudi, now aged 19, entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter.

In the six days she was alone, her daughter Asiah starved and was dehydrated.

The 20-month-old had also contracted flu.

A post mortem examination concluded she died from neglect.

Kudi spoke only confirm her name and enter the guilty plea.

She held her hands to her face after the charge of manslaughter was read to her.

Wearing a plain black top and black trousers with a blue face-mask, she wiped a tear from eyes as her father looked on from the public gallery.

Mr Kudi sat with his arms crossed throughout the short hearing at Lewes Crown Court.

His daughter waved at him from the dock when court staff pointed him out.

Speaking after the heading, Muba Kudi, 59, said: ‘My heart is so broken. My daughter was missing. She had been missing since the age of 14.’

Asiah was born on March 22, 2018 and was only 20 months old when she died.

She had been living at the flat in Brighton with her mother where they had been housed by social services since September 30, 2019.

The baby was under a child protection plan but there was no social worker assigned when she died.

On December 11 at 1806, Kudi dialled 999 telling a call handler her baby would not wake up.

A few days later, staff a the Brighton mother and baby unit for teen mums where they had been living contacted police after reviewing CCTV footage.

Cameras showed Kudi leaving the building on December 5 at 1739.

She did not return until December 11.

Data gathered by Sussex Police showed Kudi had been at parties in London, Coventry and Solihull before returning to Brighton.

Kudi admitted the manslaughter of her daughter between December 4 and 12.

Asiah was pronounced dead on arrival at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton on Wednesday December 11.

Judge Christine Laing QC told her: ‘You have heard that before I get to sentence you the defence want to get a report on your behalf and a doctor will no doubt make arrangements to see you and interview you over the next few weeks.’

She ordered that all social services records relating to the case be disclosed to the defence ahead of sentencing.

The case was adjourned to a provisional sentencing date of May 28, but Kudi was warned this may be delayed.