Verphy Kudi's Brighton life and the build up to Asiah's death

Verphy Kudi, 19, left her baby to die alone over six days. Details revealed in court have described the background to the teen mum's life - leading to the "unimaginable suffering" that caused little Asiah's death.

Kudi was jailed for nine years at Lewes Crown Court after admitting manslaughter

Kudi tried to cover up her crime after returning to her flat in Islingword Road to find her daughter dead.

She walked out of her Brighton flat leaving baby Asiah to head to London and begin celebrations for her 18th birthday.

When she came back, Kudi spent nearly three hours in the flat with her baby before dealing 999.

Kudi let out a single gasp as she was taken down from the dock.

Verphy Kudi

As she reached the bottom of the stairs she burst into tears and her cries could be heard echoing up from the cells.

Her Honour Judge Christine Laing QC told Kudi she had prioritised her desires over the needs of her child and chose lies over the truth to try to save herself despite understanding the unbearable suffering she inflicted on her own child.

Describing her as deceitful and manipulative, Judge Laing said: “It’s quite clear to me the trigger event for you to abandon your child for almost six days was not stress but a desire to celebrate your birthday.

“You chose to prioritise your desires over the needs of your child.

“She was a helpless child who relied completely on you for her needs.

“You wanted the life of an 18 year old over the life of a young mum with a child.

“You knew full well you should not be doing what you did.

“It is almost unbearable to contemplate her suffering in the final days of her life.

“Suffering she endured so you could celebrate with your friends.

“She was a baby.

“It was your duty as a mother to protect her, not to abandon her.

“You caused her unimaginable physical suffering.”

• READ MORE: Video shows Verphy Kudi partying while her daughter died home alone

Kudi lied to paramedics, doctors and police as she tried to cover up her crime.

The judge said we will never know what she did in those three hours she spent in the flat before summoning the emergency services.

“You chose not to tell the truth to paramedics or doctors trying to resuscitate your child.

“You chose lies to try to save yourself,” the judge said.

Sally Howes QC for the prosecution told the court the baby had learned crying for help was useless.

The case was reviewed by consultant paediatrician Dr Nicola Cleghorn.

Ms Howes said: “Dr. Cleghorn was asked to consider the question of Asiah not being heard to cry or make any noise throughout that period.

“She explains that it is possible for children who have experience of delayed response from caregivers to stop calling out.”

Baby Asiah was born on March 22, 2018 and was only 20 months old when she died from a combination of starvation ketoacidosis and influenza.

Lewes Crown Court heard Kudi left her baby alone on several occasions before the fatal birthday trip.

CCTV at the sheltered accommodation where she had been living in the months before showed six significant occasions when Kudi left her baby alone.

On October 23 she left her alone for seven hours and 18 minutes to go to a birthday party in Brighton.

On November 7, she left her alone for ten hours and 37 minutes.

On two occasions on November 9, she left her alone, for 17 hours and 13 mins followed by another 33 minutes.

On November 23, she left her alone for two days, five hours and 51 minutes to go to another birthday.

On November 28, she left her alone for 11 hours and 35 minutes.

The judge said it was particularly distressing to think the baby had learned crying did not help.

Kudi spent three hours in the flat on December 11 with her dead baby before making any attempt to get help.

She told paramedics, doctors and police a series of lies about what had happened, the court heard.

Kudi claimed she and her baby had been unwell since her birthday on December 5, the day she left.

“You said she had been asleep all day and you had given her Calpol,” Judge Laing said.

“She had a virus and hadn’t been herself.

“You said you gave her milk and changed her nappy.

“You gave an expanded account of that while speaking to police at the hospital saying she had been unwell for a number of days.

“Those various accounts were all lies.

“Examination of the CCTV showed you left on December 5 and didn’t return home until Dec 11.

“She was alone in that flat for six days, less two hours, unable to do anything to draw attention to her plight.

“We’ve seen video of you dressed up and clearly enjoying yourself.

“You fold friends Asiah was not used to being away from you - also a lie.”

A psychiatric report revealed Kudi has an emerging personality disorder, the court heard.

The judge dismissed claims of mental illness as only playing a minor part in the events surrounding the death of her daughter.

“It’s clear you are a very intelligent young woman,” the judge said.

“It’s also quite clear you knew what you were doing was wholly wrong.”

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.

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

The 20-month-old had also contracted influenza.

A post mortem examination concluded she died from neglect.

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

The court was shown phone video clips of an event at Elephant and Castle in London where a DJ announces Kudi’s birthday to the crowd.

The video, dated December 8, was taken three days after Kudi walked out on her baby.

She is seen raising her hand in acknowledgement.

The court heard there are many more videos and stills of her over the six day period.

Text messages and conversations with family and friends showed Verphy Kudi had planned to leave her baby alone while she celebrated her birthday.

She told Gochers Court staff she had arranged to go out for a meal with her mother and members of her family to celebrate her birthday.

“She cancelled that arrangement by telling her mother she was too ill to attend and that Asiah was also unwell,” Ms Howes said.

After arranging to meet friends in Fulham, she sent a text to her mother saying: “Mum I’m literally so ill, I can’t breathe and I came on to my period my belly is killing me.

“Can we go tomorrow when I’m feeling a bit better because I am honestly dying.”

Kudi tried to borrow money from her mother to fund her birthday celebrations claiming she needed to buy food for her baby.

On December 9, after she had been gone for four days, Kudi sent a text to her mum asking for money.

She wrote: “I’m in need of a food shop for the house and even £5 gas to top up as it’s about to run out. I get paid on Wednesday is there any chance of you helping me out and whatever you borrow me I will pay you exactly back Wednesday first thing.”

Members of her family included her father Muba Kudi were in court to hear on December 11 at 6.06pm Kudi dialled 999 telling a call handler her baby would not wake up.

A few days later, staff a the 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 5.39pm.

She did not return until December 11.

Asiah was pronounced dead on arrival at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton the same day.

Kudi admitted the manslaughter of her daughter earlier this year.

Ms Howes said the child had no social worker at the time of her death.

“Due to the background of Social Services involvement with Verphy Kudi, Asiah was made the subject of a Child Protection Plan from birth.

“This was later reduced to a Child in Need Plan which was then removed altogether.

“At the time of her death Asiah Kudi had no Social Worker therefore social services had no responsibility for her at all.”

Senior Investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Wolstenholme, said; “This was a particularly distressing case for my team and me to investigate, and has caused great sorrow amongst Verphy’s family and the many agencies that have supported Verphy and Asiah.

“In pleading guilty, Ms Kudi accepted the terrible judgements she made in leaving her child alone and unprotected for such a protracted period, and accepts the lies she told to friends, family and professionals to cover up her neglect of her daughter and in order to avoid being caught.

“I hope Verphy’s acceptance will help the rest of her family to grieve the terrible loss of Asiah. Sussex Police will always go the extra mile to investigate offending against children and all vulnerable people, as well as supporting their families and friends. I would always urge anyone who has concerns for the wellbeing of a child, or vulnerable adult, to contact the relevant authorities as early as possible, so that supportive interventions can be made.”

In a statement, Asiah and Verphy’s family said; “We are saddened by the current situation and as a family we have many unanswered questions.

“Verphy has experienced so much at such a young age and we have always done what we can to support her.

“As a family we are in the midst of an unbearable tragedy.

“Not only are we coming to terms with what has happened today but we are also still grieving for our beloved Asiah.

“We would be grateful if our privacy can be respected at this moment.”

The Brighton and Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership (BHSCP) is carrying out a Child Safeguarding Practice Review (CSPR) of this case, which they aim to publish later this year. Sussex Police like all agencies concerned, are fully participating in that Review.

The court heard Kudi suffered from PTSD after witnessing domestic violence as a child and as a victim of sexual exploitation in her early teens.

Sally Howes QC said: “She lived in the Whitehawk area of Brighton with her mother, Asia Batrane and her younger sister.

“Up to the age of 14, is described by her mother as a happy, caring girl who would ‘light up the whole house with loud laughter’.

“At 14 years old, according to her mother, she shut down mentally, would not communicate and became angry.

“She began absenting herself from school and, on a number of occasions, her mother reported her to the police as a missing person.

“Following complaints of bullying she moved to a different school but after a short period she went missing again.

“The longest period was for five weeks when she had just turned 15 years old.

“At this point Social Services became involved and Verphy Kudi was made the subject of a placement in a ‘safe house’ in Norfolk.

“At this stage there were concerns that she was involved in child sexual exploitation.

“After six months in this placement she fell pregnant.”

Peter Wilcock QC for the defence described Kudi as a high suicide risk.

“This is a tragic and devastating case,” he said.

“Her note to the court describes her own shame.”

Mr Wilcock said the domestic violence and sexual exploitation had left Kudi struggling with severe post traumatic stress disorder.