'Clear evidence of neglect' at Brent home of baby's death

Fartun Jamal, 25, from Kingfisher Way, Brent Park – near to the IKEA Wembley branch - is accused of causing the death of 11-month-old Nafahat through neglect, and of cruelty towards another child.

Harrow Crown Court previously heard that Nafahat died from a chest infection on March 13 2019.

On Thursday, Dr Michael Coren, a consultant paediatrician at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, said Nafahat’s death in a “sad scene” was “concerning”.

Harrow Crown Court

He said the flat was “not a good environment for a small child”.

The jury heard that Jamal’s home was “dirty”, with takeaway boxes and uncleaned plates, while there were nappies left everywhere and faeces on the walls.

The cot that Nafahat slept in was also broken, the court heard.

In his witness statement, read to the court, Dr Coren said: “There was clear evidence of neglect in the family home of Ms Jamal.”

It added that there were “environmental signs of neglect”.

Dr Coren told the jury: “The conditions must have been quite bad, from the evidence I heard.

“It was a chaotic and dirty flat, there’s no doubt about that.”

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The court previously heard from a babysitter who visited the home on March 8, describing the living conditions as “dirty”, with plates in the sink and the smell of “old milk”.

Nafahat was ill from at least March 4, and her condition worsened before she died more than a week later, the jury has been told.

Edward Brown QC, prosecuting, has previously told the court that the nearest medical centre was just across the road from the family home – but said Jamal never took Nafahat to the practice.

Asked if this suggested neglect, Dr Coren said: “It is not necessarily an unreasonable thing to do and might be a common experience of the people in this room who have children.

“Keeping a child at home in the hope they get better is a reasonable thing to do.”

Jamal is charged with one count of causing death by neglect, two counts of child cruelty in relation to Nafahat, and a third count of child cruelty in relation to another child.

The trial continues.