FILICIDE: Wales: Sara Ege jailed 17 years for beating son to death for not memorizing Qur’an

The Associated Press 

LONDON - A British judge on Monday sentenced a woman he called a “devoted and loving mother” to at least 17 years in prison for beating her son to death after he failed to memorize passages from the Qur’an.

A jury at Cardiff Crown Court in Wales convicted 33-year-old Sara Ege last month of murdering 7-year-old Yaseen and burning his body to destroy the evidence.

Judge Wyn Williams said Ege beat Yaseen repeatedly with a stick over several months, causing internal injuries.

He said that, on the day he died in 2010, Yaseen had been kept home from school to memorize verses from the Muslim holy book, and that his failure “was the trigger for the beating” that killed him.

The judge agreed with defence arguments about India-born Ege's state of mind, saying she was “a devoted and loving mother” who suffered from depression and had been a victim of domestic violence.

Still, he said, she subjected her son to “prolonged cruelty.”

Ege admitted killing her son in a confession taped by police, but later retracted it and blamed her husband, Yousef. He was tried and acquitted on a charge of failing to prevent his son's death.

Ege sobbed as the judge passed sentence. Williams said the 2 1/2 years she had spent in secure psychiatric units since her arrest would count toward her 17-year minimum sentence.

FILICIDE: Ontario: more on Teresa Williams

Teresa Williams, 24, shown with her daughter Evadne. Williams has been charged with second-degree murder after Evadne was found dead inside the family's home on Tuesday.

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Jessica McDiarmid, Peter Edwards and Niamh Scallan
Staff Reporters 

Ian Collins stood on his porch late Tuesday night and watched as the body of a 2-year-old was taken out of a neighbouring townhouse in Mississauga.

Evadne Williams-Scott’s body was in a small, white bag; it was not on a stretcher but carried in someone’s arms.

Inside, his three children slept.

“I’m sad. It hurts to see a little child whose life has been taken,” said Collins, who lives in the social housing complex on Colonial Dr., near Ridgeway Dr. and The Collegeway.

Peel Regional Police charged the toddler’s 24-year-old mother, Teresa Williams, with second-degree murder. She appeared Wednesday afternoon in a Brampton court, where proceedings were adjourned to allow time for a psychiatric evaluation.

Outside the courthouse, the toddler’s grandmother, Julia Williams, huddled in grief with a group of family members, bursting into tears when asked about the child.

One family member described the young girl as “nice, beautiful.” He had last seen her and her mother on New Year’s Eve.

At around 3:45 p.m. on New Year’s Day, police responded to a disturbance call at the housing complex. Williams was on the balcony of her unit, barefoot and hysterical. She then barricaded herself inside.

“We had to use a conducted energy weapon in order to subdue her due to her heightened state of hysteria,” said Insp. Randy Cowan, referring to a Taser.

When police entered the unit, they found the girl, who would have turned 3 in several months, with “obvious signs of trauma,” said Cowan. An autopsy was conducted Wednesday, but the cause of death has not been released.

There were no immediate explanations for what spurred the alleged attack. Neighbours who spoke to the Star said they did not know the woman well, but described her as quiet and pleasant, someone who always said hello and smiled.

Salima Jaffer, who lives with Collins, said Williams and her daughter seemed happy and the little girl always looked cared for and well-dressed. Shortly before Christmas, Collins recalled the pair emerging from their car with bags laden with toys.

“From what I could see, she was a good mother,” Jaffer said.

A high school friend also described Williams as a good mother, but added that she had gone through a difficult period during their time together at Toronto’s Downsview Secondary School.

The friend, who asked not to be identified, said Williams “was very sweet, but had an attitude” in her high school days and often found herself “in trouble.”

Once she left Downsview, however, the friend said Williams made changes and became religious — “She was trying to live a positive life.”

In a 2007 Facebook note, Williams described herself as a “woman of Rastafari” and said she planned to read the Bible every day, become healthier and focus on “artistic skills, hairstyling, decorating, and love for fashion” to “keep me out of trouble.”

“I wish more (people) would stop lookin (sic) at my past and see me is dis (sic) new light im (sic) entering,” Williams wrote. “I wish to guide people into the right direction.”

Less than two years later, Williams gave birth to Evadne. According to the friend, Williams became “stressed out” when the baby’s father, Wendell Scott, left the picture.

Scott, at the Brampton courthouse for Williams’ appearance Wednesday, told a Star reporter that he had not seen the child in about two years.

Last summer, the friend spent a day with Williams and Evadne and said Williams seemed to be doing well, dating a “Rasta” man and planning to record music. The toddler was quiet and well-behaved, the friend said.

Throughout the day Wednesday, Williams’ apartment remained cordoned off as officers continued their probe. The complex’s management declined to comment, saying the matter is under police investigation.

A bundle of red plastic roses with a card addressed to “Little Angel” was tucked into the snow by the home’s front stairs. Later on Wednesday, a woman brought a teddy bear; another woman, a rose.

The death, Peel’s first homicide of 2013, has left the neighbourhood reeling.

“I have to explain to my children what happened, but how do you explain that to a 4-year-old or a 7-year-old?” said Jaffer. “It's too close to home.”

FILICIDE: Ontario: Teresa Williams charged

TARA WALTON/TORONTO STARPeel Police discovered the girl’s body after receiving a call of disturbance about a hysterical female standing bare-footed in the snow on a balcony at the home on Colonial Dr.

2 of 2

Erica Rae Chong
Staff Reporter 

A woman will be charged with second-degree murder today after her 2-year-old daughter was found dead in a Mississauga townhouse Tuesday.

Peel Regional Police discovered the girl’s body after receiving a call of disturbance about a hysterical female standing barefoot in the snow on a balcony at the home on Colonial Dr. at around 3:45 p.m., Insp. Randy Cowan told a news conference this morning.

“We had to use a conducted energy weapon in order to subdue her due to her heightened state of hysteria,” said Cowan.

“We entered the unit and discovered the deceased… the daughter of the female… with obvious signs of trauma.”

Police identified the victim as Evadne Williams-Scott, aged 2 years and 9 months.

Her mother, Teresa Williams, 24, is currently in custody and will be charged with second-degree murder.

She is scheduled to appear in Brampton court later today.

Police said the accused and the victim were the only people living in the home.

“There are no outstanding victims and no outstanding parties. We are now canvassing the area for information with regards to this family and how this tragedy could have occurred,” said Cowan.

The death is Peel’s first homicide of 2013.

FILICIDE (multiple): Florida: Tonya Thomas Shot Her Four Children 18 Times

Posted: 05/21/2012 

Tonya Thomas is accused of fatally shooting her four children before taking her own life.

A Florida mother shot her four children 18 times before taking her own life, according to the Brevard County medical examiner's findings.

In the early morning of May 15, 33-year-old Tonya Thomas fired bullets at two of her children's chests from short distances in the alleged murder-suicide massacre in Port St. John, USA Today reported. Authorities have not reported on the circumstances surrounding the shooting of Thomas' other two children during the incident.

Authorities say that Thomas used a Taurus .38-caliber revolver to kill Joel Johnson, 12, Jazzlyn Johnson, 13, Jaxs Johnson, 15, and Pebbles Johnson, 17.

According to the initial Associated Press report:

Three of the children had gone to a neighbor's front door before dawn to say their mother had shot them. The mother then called the children back to the house and killed them, [Lt. Tod Goodyear, a spokesman for the Brevard County Sheriff's Office] said.

"From what the neighbors said, she was very calm. She walked out and called them back. They turned around and walked back to the house," Goodyear said.

On Wednesday, police released the 911 call from neighbors in which witnesses recall hearing gunshots and seeing Thomas' children outside their home.

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FILICIDE (By accessory): UK: Kirsty Smedley jailed for letting her son die at the hands of her boyfriend who hit him so hard his liver was split in two

•  Kirsty Smedley, 24, put her lover Daniel Rigby ahead of son Rio
• She was jailed for four years for allowing the toddler's death 
• Rigby has been jailed for a minimum of 17 years for murder

By HAYLEY DIXON

PUBLISHED: 17:05 GMT, 21 December 2012 | UPDATED: 17:08 GMT, 21 December 2012

A woman who allowed the death of her two-year-old son at the hands of her murdering boyfriend has been jailed for four years.

'Infatuated' Kirsty Smedley, 24, put her desire to please Daniel Rigby ahead of son Rio, who suffered 91 injuries all over his body.

The fatal blow was delivered to the youngster’s stomach and split his liver in two after Smedley left her home in Bolton to get cash to buy cannabis for her boyfriend.

Tragic: Rio Smedley, pictured left, was left in the care of Daniel Rigby by his mother Kirsty Smedley, right. He was found to have 91 injuries and his liver was split in two

She was convicted last month in a trial at Manchester Crown Court of allowing his death after the court heard she knew her son had received two nasty injuries to his backside and head the day before when Rigby was looking after him. 

Rigby, 23, from Tyldesley, Wigan, was sentenced to life last month and ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years after he was found guilty of the murder on April 22 at Smedley’s former home in Cheriton Drive, Breightmet.

Daniel Rigby, pictured holding a baby, was found guilty of murdering two-year-old Rio whilst he was supposed to be looking after him and jailed for a minimum of 17 years

The injuries were inflicted in the space of three hours and included significant bruising to both his feet caused by stamping.

Smedley who has already been pregnant seven times was castigated by the judge for having 'an irresponsible view of obligations of a mother' after he heard how she put her love life first.

Sentencing her, Mr Justice MacKay said the jury’s verdict meant they were sure she knew or ought to have known there was a significant risk of serious harm to her son.

He told Smedley: 'At no stage did you do anything to protect Rio from his fate. He must have suffered greatly before his death.

'You should never have left him that night. It was quite clear that Rio was at risk. You were infatuated with Rigby at the time and I think you still are, or at least during the trial.

'At the top of your list was a need to please him (Rigby).'

Doctors said he was beaten viciously his injuries were similar to being kicked repeatedly by a horse or being involved in a road accident

The mother of two had been headbutted, slapped across the face and called a 'fat slag' by 23-year  Rigby during a stormy relationship.

Yet even though he was arrested and banned from contacting her she was so infatuated she dropped charges against him - even though her son Rio had had previous unexplained bruises.

 The pair had only kissed and made up after a row just 48 hours earlier but Smedley paid the deadly price for inviting Rigby back into her home when he battered her son senseless.  

Kirsty Smedley, left, was so keen to impress her boyfriend Daniel Rigby, pictured right, that she did not think about the safety of her toddler

The judge noted that she had shown no remorse over Rio’s death and the only time she showed distress was when her 999 call to the emergency services was played in court.

The tragedy occurred whilst Smedley was heavily pregnant with a third child - but had not told Rigby someone else was the father.

She only revealed the truth in a witness box when she was testifying at a trial over the toddler’s death. 

Whilst awaiting trial she fell pregnant again to a neighbour but she had a termination in prison two weeks ago - and is now considering sterilisation, the judge was told.

She was said to have been exposed to a chaotic upbringing and suffered a traumatic assault at the age of 15.

Smedley is of low IQ, has low self-esteem and as a consequence sought solace in a string of sexual relationships - moving on to the next man when abandoned, her QC Robert Woodcock said. 

He said she did not believe Rigby posed the 'slightest threat' to Rio.

Rio was beaten to death at his house in Cheriton Drive, Breightmet, Bolton, pictured. The jury found Smedley knew leaving him with her lover left him at risk

Mr Justice MacKay told Smedley, who will be released on licence halfway through her sentence: 'I hope you will take the assistance that the prison will give you.

'I hope it will lead to some realisation that you need to take control of your life in a different way.'

Following sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Phil Reade said: 'This is a shocking case in which an innocent and defenceless little boy has suffered appalling injuries at the hands of someone who had been trusted to look after him.

A police officer stands guard outside Smedley's former home in April where tiny Rio recieved 91 injuries including a split liver which caused his death

'Although Daniel and Kirsty have now both been jailed for their involvement in Rio’s death, this will go little way to ease the suffering of Rio’s family, who have lost their beloved little boy under such tragic circumstances.'

Her two surviving children will now be cared for by foster carers and she has made little effort to contact them.  

Smedley began dating Rigby, who has previous for or assault, public order matters and car theft, in 2011 

Last January she announced she was three months pregnant with her second child but Rigby punched and slapping Smedley in the belief she had been texting other men.

Smedley, pictured left leaving Manchester Crown Court, has been pregnant seven times and Rigby, right, was not Rio's father

Friends recalled how he also headbutted her and kicked her in the head during a row in the kitchen whilst waiting for her to 'get him some money'.

Last March 21 when Smedley was five months pregnant, Rigby punched her in the face grabbed her by the cheeks, pushed her into a door and headbutted her after claiming she was planning to have sex with other men.

He was arrested and bailed on condition he make no contact with her with Smedley telling her midwife how she feared Rigby would kill her. A social worker also urged Smedly to ring her if there were any further problems.

But on April 3 Smedley later withdrew a police statement she made about the attack and on April 20, Rigby was told no further action would be taken against him.

Flowers and a teddy bear were left in memory of tragic Rio outside the home where he was beaten to death earlier this year

He immediately returned to their home and that evening Smedley left him to care for Rio for an hour whilst she and a friend went off to pick up portions of fish chips from a nearby takeaway.

When Smedley returned home Rio already had red blotches on him and was feeling sick but she ignored the warning signs and instead went out again the next day to see relatives leaving the youngster at home with her violent boyfriend.

During that time Rigby sent a text to Smedley saying Rio had 'fallen off the arm of the couch' at his grandmother’s house when the dog jumped up at him' and another saying he had been hit with a plastic toy sword.

When she returned the youngster was sporting a bruise to his bottom, yet the following day the mother went out for a third time leaving Rio with Rigby.

She was eventually called in a text by Rigby who said Rio had fallen down the stairs. She rushed back home to find the youngster was not moving and his eyes “sunk” to the back of his head and dialled 999.

Rio was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital but later died of a ruptured liver caused by punches kicks and stamping.

A pathologist who examined Rio, found 91 separate marks of injury including 40 bruises and abrasions to his head and face, 11 bruises and abrasions to his abdomen, a 9.5cm x 3.7cm bruise to his buttock, seven bruises and abrasions to both his arms, and 20 injuries to his legs and feet.

A police officer surveys the home where Rio was killed by his mum's boyfriend just days after the pair had got back together

Prosecuting Simon Phillips QC said: 'Kirsty was infatuated or desperate to make her relationship with Rigby work.

'What she was fearful of wasn’t what might happen to her child but what might happen to her if she didn’t please him. Rio was very much second in her thoughts. He was not her priority.'

During the hearing Rigby held his head in his hands as Smedley revealed a DNA said had shown he was not the father of her second child. Earlier he had told the trial he never harmed Rio and insisted the youngster had fallen down the stairs.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2251758/Mother-jailed-letting-son-die-hands-boyfriend-hit-hard-liver-split-two.html#ixzz2FiBtSbzi
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FILICIDE: UK: Natalie McMillan to be sentenced for "neglect"

Mother cleared of killing four-month-old son who died after television set weighing five stone fell on his head

• Natalie McMillan was trying to watch a DVD when the TV fell on her four-month-old Kian
• He later died in hospital but she has been cleared of manslaughter by gross negligence
• McMilland and ex-partner Edward Hanratty now face sentencing for neglect

PUBLISHED: 20:18 GMT, 20 December 2012 | UPDATED: 20:20 GMT, 20 December 2012

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Accident Natalie McMillan who has been cleared of killing her four-month-old son who died from 'catastrophic injuries' when a television weighing five stone dropped on his head

A woman was today cleared of killing her four-month-old son who died from 'catastrophic injuries' when a television weighing five stone dropped on his head.

Kian McMillan was lying below on his changing mat and died a day later in hospital after the incident at his home in Burnley, Lancashire, on December 6 last year.

Natalie McMillan, 25, initially told detectives she accidentally knocked over the TV set as she attempted to move it to plug in a scart lead and watch a DVD.

In interview she said: 'I have never hurt my son on purpose... all because I wanted to watch a film.'

She denied she had been under the influence of drugs but tests later showed she had taken heroin and valium.

McMillan was charged with manslaughter by gross negligence and child neglect but then changed her version of events as she shifted the blame to the boy's father.

When giving evidence in her trial at Preston Crown Court, she claimed ex-partner Edward Hanratty, 41, was the person responsible for the television falling and that she was upstairs in bed when it happened.

She admitted guilt to neglect midway through the trial, while Hanratty also changed his plea to guilty on the same charge after he gave evidence.

The prosecution had alleged McMillan was responsible for the toppling television while Hanratty was passed out on the kitchen floor through drink and drugs.

 

She said she decided to accept the blame on his behalf from the moment she made the 999 call from the address in Scarlett Street because she was scared of him.

Prosecutor Suzanne Goddard QC said this was 'nonsense' and that she was lying.

Father: Edward Hanratty, who the prosecution said was passed out on the kitchen floor through drink and drugs at the time of the accident

In his closing speech yesterday, Peter Wright QC, defending McMillan, told jurors they were not being asked to determine if his client was a good mother.

The relevant questions were: was she responsible for the television falling and if so; was her behaviour so grossly negligent that it was 'truly exceptionally bad' rather than a mistake or a serious error of judgment.

Mr Wright said: 'We say the evidence points away rather than to her being responsible. A not guilty verdict is not a vindication of Natalie McMillan or a dereliction of Kian McMillan.'

The jury took less than four hours to reach its verdict.

Deliberations: Jurors at Preston Crown Court took less than four hours to find the two defendants not guilty

McMillan, of Leeds, and Hanratty, of Bradford, will both be sentenced on January 31.

The Recorder of Preston, Judge Anthony Russell QC, told McMillan he wanted a pre-sentence report to find out more about her personal background.

He said all sentencing options remained available, including custody. Hanratty was released on bail yesterday following his guilty plea.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2251282/Natalie-McMillan-cleared-killing-month-old-son-died-TV-fell-head.html#ixzz2FdStH5lD
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FILICIDE: UK: Magdelena Luczak and partner 'kept four-year-old son in locked room and fed him SALT before battering him to death'

By ANNA EDWARDS

PUBLISHED:  20 December 2012

A mother and her partner kept her four-year-old son locked in a room, denying him food and feeding him salt before battering him to death, a court heard today.

Magdelena Luczak, 27, and her partner Mariusz Krezolek, 33, are accused of assaulting and killing her son Daniel Pelka on March 3 this year.

The couple today pleaded not guilty to murder when they appeared at Birmingham Crown Court.

Daniel Pelka, who died after he was found unconscious at his home, was allegedly locked in a room and fed salt

They also denied child cruelty charges between January 2011 and March this year.

The couple, who listened to proceedings via Polish interpreters, were remanded in custody by Mrs Justice Macur and ordered to return to court for trial on May 1 next year.

The charge sheet states the pair 'wilfully assaulted, ill treated, neglected, abandoned or exposed Daniel Pelak in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury by physically assaulting him, denying him food, locking him in a room and feeding him salt and by failing to obtain prompt medical treatment for him.'

A mother and her partner are accused of battering him to death, a court heard today

Both also faced an individual charge of causing or allowing the death of a child by failing to take reasonable steps to protect him.

Paramedics found Daniel unconscious at the family home in Holbrooks, Coventry, on March 3 this year after Luczak dialled 999.

Despite desperate attempts to save Daniel, he died in hospital.

A post-mortem examination found that the youngster died of a head injury

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2251235/Mother-27-partner-kept-year-old-son-locked-room-fed-SALT-battering-death.html#ixzz2FdRewggp
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FILICIDE (under orders): Norway: Ammaz Hunaina drowned her child

Father accused of killing a baby girl by telling mother to torture her over Skype is extradited for trial in Norway

• Ammaz Qureshi was talking to his former mistress Yasmin Chaudhry over the internet
• One-year-old Hunaina 'interrupted their conversation' so he told her to dunk her in a bucket of water
• He was arrested in June and put on a plane to Norway earlier this week

By JACK DOYLE

PUBLISHED: 16:02 GMT, 19 December 2012 | UPDATED: 17:46 GMT, 19 December 2012

A father accused of killing a baby girl over Skype by telling her mother to dunk her head in a bucket of water - has been extradited to Norway to face trial.

Ammaz Qureshi was talking to his former mistress over the internet when one-year-old Hunaina started crying, interrupting their conversation. 

He is accused of telling her mother, Yasmin Chaudhry, to hold her daughter by the ankles and dunk her in the bucket as punishment.

Ammaz Qureshi was talking to his former mistress over the internet when one year old Hunaina started crying, interrupting their conversation (stock image)

But after her nose and mouth were submerged for the second time the girl stopped breathing and lost consciousness. She was rushed to hospital but died the next day.  

Prosecutors say that the dunking was part of a campaign of cruelty inflicted on the girl by her mother under Qureshi's instructions.

That allegedly included spraying her in the face with a bottle of water, making her eat chilli powder and forcing her to stay awake.

She was also forced to stay in the ‘naughty corner’ for hours with her legs bound, sleep on the floor and had her head held under running water in the sink, they claim. 

 

Following her daughter's death in October 2010, Chaudhry told doctors that she fell into the water by accident.

She was arrested on suspicion of negligence because of inconsistencies in the stories she told police and paramedics.

But when facing manslaughter charges, she told police that Qureshi, 33, of Pinner, North London, had been directing the abuse for months.

He was questioned by Norwegian police in the UK in December 2010 and faces charges of cruelty to a child and manslaughter. He denies giving any instructions. 

The married accountant had a fling with Chaudhry when she came to London on holiday in February 2010. He managed to keep the death from his wife until police began to question him. 

Police flew over from Oslo to question him with the help of Scotland Yard

He was arrested in June and put on a plane to Norway earlier this week.

In January this year, Norwegian police prosecutor Kristin Rusdal told MailOnline: 'This has been a long investigation and she (Chaudhry) eventually admitted it to us in October 2011. 

'She said it was done to discipline the child. She had been holding her under water.

'She had discussed the discipline with this friend, with whom she had a relationship.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2250617/Father-accused-killing-baby-girl-telling-mother-torture-Skype-extradited-trial-Norway.html#ixzz2FYeLO2J3
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