Mother Held After Toddler Starves to Death in Shocking Insanity Case
Tragic Death of Three-Year-Old in Cardiff
A Cardiff mother has been detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act after being found not guilty of her three-year-old son’s manslaughter and neglect by reason of insanity. Olabisi Abubakar, 42, was ruled a danger to the public following a heartbreaking court case.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that Abubakar had fasted her son, Taiwo, until his tragic death. A post-mortem revealed the boy, found dead for some time, weighed just 22lbs and died from severe malnutrition and dehydration.
Paranoid Delusions and Religious Fasting Blamed
Abubakar arrived in the UK from Nigeria in 2011 as an asylum seeker. She suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had been practising prolonged fasting due to her strong Pentecostal Christian beliefs. She believed that fasting would protect the country from a virus and placed both herself and Taiwo on an extended fast.
Judge Labels Case ‘Extremely Sad’
“The jury found you not guilty of all these charges by reason of insanity,” said Mrs Justice Jefford. “At the time, you had serious mental illness, paranoid schizophrenia, and did not know what you were doing.”
“What happened to you and your children is extremely sad and the result of that illness. You had been a good and caring mother, and your children were loved and well cared for,” the judge added.
The judge noted that a combination of pandemic fears, disputes with neighbours, financial worries, and immigration status had worsened Abubakar’s mental health.
