A Nigerian woman has been sentence for 15 years in prison by United Sate of America court
Mrs. Oluremi Adeleye, was sentence to jail because of her actions that led to the death of 8-month-old baby in Maryland, United States.
Adeleye, 73 years old woman broke down crying in court as she spoke through an interpreter, saying, “It was a mistake. I did not want to kill that child.”
Adeleye was charge and found guilty for child abuse and a second degree murder on February this year on a bench trial.
According to US Prosecutors, “Adeleye forced milk down the throat of 8-month-old Enita Salubi in Glenarden in October 2016, that led to suffocating the child to death”.
The incident was said to have been captured on a nanny camera. But The defense told the court that force-feeding is an African culture, it is commonly practice everywhere in Nigeria where Adeleke came from.
Karen Mason the Judge presiding over the case said she did not believe Adeleye was an “evils intentioned baby slayer,” Adeleye knew or should have known her actions may led to the death of the child.
Prosecutors in his report said, Adeleye was a live-in nanny at a couple’s home in Prince George’s County when one 8-month-old Enita Salubi died on Oct. 26, 2016.
Police said, “Adeleye was asleep on a couch inside the house when the baby, who was in a walker, started crying and woke the nanny.
“video surveillance camera shows how try to feed the baby, but without success.
“She baby from her walker, removed the nipple from her bottle and forcefully fed her”.
Adeleye poured “eight ounces of milk down the child’s throat in less than 30 seconds, essentially drowning her,” the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
The baby appeared to squirm and resist while being fed the first bottle, and then Adeleye forced the contents of a second bottle into her mouth, documents said. After the baby became unresponsive, Adeleye called the baby’s father, who dialed 911 as he raced home. Enita Salubi was rushed to a hospital, where she died.
Clifton Wanzer, a neighbor, said he saw the little girl’s father carry her to an ambulance. She was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Speaking on the incident, Susan Jeremy, a child expert based in Washington said Forced feeding is a widespread childcare practice in Yoruba culture.
Adeyeye is a Yoruba woman. The practice is learnt by females through socialization process, and practiced as an expected role of a responsible mother.
The desire to feed children forces women to engage in forced feeding practice. Just like the judge said Adeleye did not intend to kill the baby. She added that it was unfortunate the baby died from the incident.
According to her, “I did not expect the sentencing. I thought the Embassy of Nigeria should have also added their voice and try to get a light sentencing for her”.
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