Parents Jailed Over Shocking Abuse of Baby Girl with 65 Bone Fractures
Benjamin O’Shea, 26, and Naomi Johnson, 24, have been locked up for brutally abusing their baby daughter Amina-Faye. The tot suffered a horrifying 65 fractures, including 41 broken ribs and 24 broken limbs.
Both were found guilty not just of harming Amina, but also of cruelty to another child in their care. O’Shea was sentenced to eight years and eight months behind bars, while Johnson got seven years and two months.
Battered Baby’s Injuries ‘Show Brutal Ongoing Abuse’
Doctors told police the injuries were “highly indicative that Amina had suffered continued physical abuse.” Some fractures were fresh, others healing, proving the torment wasn’t a one-off.
The couple, from Southwark, London, even tried blaming paramedics for causing Amina’s broken bones after she tragically stopped breathing and died in April 2019.
Yet a medical expert confirmed the baby’s injuries happened on at least seven different occasions, with two separate incidents causing the rib fractures. There was also healed bleeding inside her head—clear evidence of past violence.
Calls Reveal Father’s Mental Health Struggles and Neglect
O’Shea, a former army reservist, had made multiple calls to NHS 111 over his self-diagnosed PTSD and anger issues. Just weeks before Amina’s death, he reported she was coughing up blood but ignored doctors’ urgent advice to get her treated.
Shocking texts uncovered during the investigation showed the couple admitting to slapping and mistreating their other child.
Judge Condemns ‘Harrowing’ Case Amid Rising Child Abuse
The sentencing at Inner London Crown Court came amid a troubling surge in child cruelty cases. Judge Nigel Peters QC described the case as “sadly yet another harrowing example of parents being cruel to their children.”
Police stats reveal a 23% rise in cruelty cases in England and Wales between July 2020 and June 2021, with more than 27,300 reported. Deaths or serious harm to children tied to abuse or neglect jumped 19% to 536 cases in 2020/21.
