A nursery worker shook her baby to death because she feared that the child's constant crying would disturb her partner, a court heard yesterday (3).
Ravinder Deol, 35, is accused of killing her six-month-old daughter Ravneet on April 3, 2016. The desperate mom allegedly shook the child to death while her partner was sleeping after a 12-hour nightshift.
Deol was arrested after a post-mortem revealed that the baby had died of non-accidental head trauma.
Prosecuting, Jane Bickerstaff QC told the jury: "Though her age was six months, had she been born at full term she would have been 11 weeks rather than a six month old. She was also incredibly small.
"There is no suggestion that the defendant meant to kill her child, or cause really serious harm to her.
"Looking at the circumstances you may well conclude she snapped. She snapped because Ravneet was crying, she snapped out of pure frustration of the situation."
Her partner told the jury: "I saw Ravinder holding Ravneet against her, she was crying.
There was no movement in Ravneet’s face. Her eyes were slightly open, her colour wasn’t right, her mouth was slightly open and to the side. I called 999 and started CPR."
The baby was rushed from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to Stoke Mandeville Hospital where everything was done to revive her. But the baby did not survive.
When questioned, Deol claimed the baby had been taking her milk as normal and had been asleep in her Moses basket in the living room. But on her return from the kitchen, the baby was found to be unresponsive.
She shook the child in a bid to rouse her, said Deol, who had previously worked in childcare for 10 years caring.
Three days after the baby's death, a post-mortem examination showed bruising to the skull on both sides. Police arrested and interviewed her at Aylesbury police station and she was released on bail.
On August 22, 2018 Deol was re-arrested after all the medical opinions were available, and she was charged with manslaughter.
Deol denies manslaughter.
The trial continues.
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During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)