Bolton nurse jailed after finding 10-week-old baby she left unattended to go to work dead

A nurse who left her 10-week-old baby home alone while she went to work has been jailed.

Ruth Auta, 28, tried to persuade her childminder to lie to police to cover her tracks when she returned after an eight hour shift at Royal Bolton Hospital to find Joshua Akerele not breathing.

She called for an ambulance, but despite attempts to resuscitate him he died just over an hour later, on 20 December 2022.

After being arrested and bailed Auta was arrested once more as she attempted to flee the country, booking a one-way ticket to Nigeria.

Bolton Crown Court heard although experts could not confirm Joshua's cause of death, he was a health baby and may have overheated due to the layers of clothing and bedding he was wrapped in.

But, other potential causes of death could not be ruled out.

The court was told Auta initially told police she had collected Joshua from a childminder after she had finish work before taking him home, feeding him and placing him on her bed.

She then claimed to have fallen asleep next to him, waking up to find him unresponsive.

To cover herself Auta even sent text messages to the childminder asking her to lie to police that she had looked after the 10-week-old that day.

But the childminder told officers she had not seen Joshua for a few days.

In her police interview, Auta gave no comment to the questions asked, the court heard.

Police seized CCTV footage showing Auta leaving her flat, at the nurses accommodation, at 6.47am without her baby and returning home alone at 3.13pm.

At 3.24pm Auta called for an ambulance, with Joshua declared dead at 4.40pm.

Auta was charged with cruelty to a child and pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ court on 24 May 2024, with her case adjourned by a month for sentence.

But, on 6 June 2024, Auta was arrested at Gatwick Airport whilst attempting to board a flight to Nigeria. She had purchased a one-way ticket.

Auta was sentenced to three years in jail when she appeared at Bolton Crown Court on 10 September.

Sara Davie, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: “Whilst she went to work to provide care for other people, Ruth Auta left the very person who needed her care the most home alone.

“As a nurse she should have known the dangers of leaving her baby unattended.

"As she begins her sentence, she must now live with the consequences of the terrible decision she made that day.

“Auta has failed to show remorse throughout the case; she misled police about her childcare arrangements and then tried to evade justice by attempting to flee the country.

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with all those who been affected by Joshua’s death.”