MOTHER WHO DOUSED DAUGHTER IN ACID SENT TO SECURE UNIT
A schizophrenic mother who stabbed her three-year-old daughter to death before dousing her body in acid must stay in a secure psychiatric hospital for the public's protection, a judge ruled today.Iman Omar Yousef, 25, was sentenced by Mr Justice Flaux after a jury ruled she unlawfully killed Alia Ahmed Jama at their home in Erdington, Birmingham.
Birmingham crown court heard that Alia's body was discovered by police who broke into the flat on 13 February after concerns for her wellbeing were raised by Yousef's mother.
The child had been stabbed repeatedly and acid had corroded her skin, bones and internal organs.
During the two-day trial, conducted in Yousef's absence, James Burbidge QC, for the prosecution, said the acid may have been applied to Alia's body to "dissolve her away".
He told the jury that two West Midlands police officers found a shocking sight when they entered the flat.
"[Alia] was on the floor ...
her body was in a state of decomposition in that the skin had melted away exposing bone.
The officers could smell what seemed like acid." Burbridge said "dozens" of stab wounds had been inflicted on her, most likely with a large kitchen knife, though no weapon was found.
Jurors heard that Yousef's mother and aunt, who lived in Leicester, had concerns for her mental health soon after she arrived in the UK in 2007, describing her as "acting strangely and talking to herself".
Her mother told police she had removed large knives from her daughter on two occasions and described her as confused and irrational.
A housing officer referred the case to social services and a visit was made to Yousef's home on 12 February, the day before her death.
On the same day, Yousef took her daughter to a medical centre for a check-up and made six frantic 999 calls to police claiming people from Leicester – where she had relatives – were "after her" and trying to get into the house.
Detective Chief Inspector Tim Bacon said two officers spent around an hour and a half at the address and found no one outside.
