The mother of a 20-month-old girl who was left to starve to death has been sentenced to nine years in prison.
Verphy Kudi pled guilty to the charge of manslaughter as she faced Judge Christine Laing QC at Lewes Crown Court.
The 19-year-old Kudi, of no fixed address, left her daughter alone over a six day period as she celebrated her 18th birthday by travelling to both London and Coventry as part of a lengthy partying period.
When passing judgement, Judge Laing QC noted how the victim was a helpless child who relied on the defendant completely for her needs.
‘ It is almost unbearable to contemplate her suffering in the final days of her life, suffering that she endured so that you could celebrate your birthday and the birthdays of your friends as a carefree teenager’.
Kudi is recorded via CCTV as leaving her flat on the 5th December to travel to London, where she met up with her boyfriend.
She then proceeded to attend a concert in London’s South East two days later, before then travelling to Coventry for a separate birthday, returning home on the 11th December.
In total, footage recorded that the child was left for five days, 21 hours and 58 minutes without any care.
The paramedics were called on her return, with the baby not breathing before being announced dead on arrival at Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.
Upon examination, the post-mortem found that starvation and influenza were the main causes of her death.
The CPS reported that there had already been recorded incidents where abandonment and neglect had occurred in the home.
Kudi initially misled the police, claiming that the baby had only been left for a short visit to London, however the recordings and also footage recorded by the defendant’s mobile phone proved otherwise.
Photo Credit: Bill Oxford
