A killer mother who let her baby girl starve to death at home alone while she went on a birthday bender with pals for almost six days had been a heavy cannabis user, an inquest was told.
Asiah Kudi, aged 20 months, died after her mother Verphy Kudi left her home alone in a Brighton flat as she went out to celebrate her 18th birthday with friends.
Kudi travelled to London, Coventry and Solihull – more than 150 miles away – to party with her friends between December 5 and 11, 2019.
She returned to the flat five days, 21 hours and 58 minutes later and found Asiah dead in her cot.
Kudi told friends and family her daughter had been unwell and had failed to wake up for her tea.
Asiah Kudi (left) died after her mother Verphy Kudi (right) left her home alone in a Brighton flat as she went out to celebrate her 18th birthday with friends
But a post-mortem examination later found Asiah had died from dehydration, starvation and the effects of flu in December 2019.
Kudi was jailed for nine years in August 2021 after admitting one count of manslaughter at Lewes Crown Court.
Today an inquest into Asiah’s death heard her mother, Verphy, had a difficult childhood and had witnessed domestic violence at home.
As a result of a series of events she was left traumatised and suffering the effects of PTSD she was moved to a children’s home in Norfolk.
Dr Frank Farnham, consultant forensic psychiatrist, who examined Kudi said the teenager used cannabis to a ‘harmful’ level.
In a statement read to the inquest he said she used to Class B drug to ‘self-medicate’ at times of ‘anxiety or depression.’
He said she had a ‘harmful pattern of cannabis use’ which had an effect on her physical health.
Dr Farnham said there was evidence that Kudi suffered from depersonalisation and derealisation – which leaves people feeling disconnected from themselves and the world around them.
He said she also suffered from dissociative behaviour which leads sufferers to lose a sense of the passage of time.
Kudi was jailed for nine years in August 2021 after admitting one count of manslaughter at Lewes Crown Court.
A post-mortem examination and forensic tests found that Asiah starved, was dehydrated and developed flu. Her cause of death was given as neglect
The inquest also heard statements of from Kudi’s friends who said that in the month running up to Asiah’s tragic death the young mother would join them to go clubbing or attend music concerts.
Earlier the inquest heard social workers had concerns over her care.in the weeks leading up to her death.
A series of incidents at the supported housing unit, Gochers Court in Brighton, where Kudi lived with Asiah, had sparked worries about her care of her 20-month-old baby daughter.
Staff at the unit contacted social workers after watching CCTV footage of Kudi leaving her baby daughter home alone.
On October 11 Kudi dropped off her daughter with her mother, Asia Batrane, at around midnight before going out partying with friends.
In the early hours of the morning CCTV showed Kudi being carried back into her flat ‘clearly intoxicated and mostly unconscious’ by male friend.
At around midday the following day Ms Batrane returned Asiah to Kudi at Gocher Court.
On October 17 footage showed that around 3am Kudi was spotted smoking outside the housing unit for between 15-30 mins.
Jakki Cahill, Kudi’s social worker, said both incidents were ‘concerning’ and, as a result, Kudi was banned form having guests for one week.
Steps were also taken to refer the case to Front Door for Families – which has special expertise in child safeguarding – but the referral was never made.
The inquest was told Kudi had a habit of lying about her whereabouts, not just to social workers and staff at Gocher Court, but also to her mother, Asia Batrane.
It later materialised that Verphy had left Asiah home alone in the flat at least a dozen times.
The inquest was told Kudi (pictured) had a habit of lying about her whereabouts, not just to social workers and staff at Gocher Court, but also to her mother, Asia Batrane
Verphy gave birth to Asiah in March 2018 when she was 16 and mother and baby were still under the care of social services.
On December 5 2019 Asiah was left alone with no food or water in her cot while her mother went out to celebrate her 18th birthday.
On the day her daughter died Kudi was on social media trying to sell concert tickets and attempting to launch her own modelling career.
She returned to her flat when Asiah had been home alone five days 21 hours and 58 minutes but did not call emergency services for more than two hours.
She eventually dialled 999 at 6.06pm and told the call handler after her daughter was ‘not waking up’.
She told paramedics Asiah had been sleeping all day she had given her milk and Calpol and let her sleep.
Asiah – who paramedics noticed had signs of rigor mortis – was rushed to hospital where she was pronounced dead
The trial heard that in the three months leading up to her death there were at least six other occasions she left Asiah alone in the flat – once for two whole days.
Last year a safeguarding review by the Brighton and Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership found Asiah’s death could not have been predicted as staff at Gocher Court believed Kudi was a capable and loving parent.
However the body’s independent report made 17 recommendations, including bringing in a system of daily checks at YMCA Downslink.
It also recommended regularly reviewing every young parent in supported accommodation, and reviewing how risks are assessed.
The inquest into Asiah Kudi’s death, which is expected to conclude this week, continues.
DailyMail
