REKHA KUMARI BAKER KILLS DAUGHTERS IN BAKER, CAMBRIDGESHIRE - SENTENCED TO 33 YEARS
In a tragic and devastating case that shocked the community of Baker in Cambridgeshire, a woman named Rekha Kumari has been sentenced to 33 years in prison after being found guilty of the brutal murder of her two teenage daughters.The horrific incident took place in the early hours of June 13, 2007, at her residence in Stretham, a village within the Cambridgeshire district.
Rekha Kumari, aged 41 at the time, carried out the heinous act using two kitchen knives she had purchased just two days prior from an Asda supermarket.
The weapons were used to inflict multiple stab wounds on her daughters, Davina Baker, aged 16, and Jasmine Baker, aged 13.
The severity of her attack was evident in the number of wounds inflicted: Kumari-Baker stabbed her eldest daughter 37 times before moving into Jasmine’s bedroom and stabbing her 29 times.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Davina’s body was found kneeling on the floor, indicating a struggle, while Jasmine was discovered dead in her bed.
The court heard that the girls’ mother was deeply upset over her ex-husband David Baker’s new relationship and was also distressed by the breakup of her own recent relationship with her boyfriend, Jeff Powell.
Prosecutors argued that her motive was rooted in a desire to cause chaos and emotional pain for her ex-husband, suggesting that her actions were an attempt to “wreak havoc” on him.
During the two-week trial at Cambridge Crown Court, the jury was informed that Rekha Kumari was suffering from mild depression at the time of the murders.
However, psychiatrists called by the prosecution confirmed that she did not have a mental disorder or mental illness that would diminish her responsibility for her actions.
Kumari-Baker’s defense team argued that she was experiencing “diminished responsibility,” claiming she had an abnormality of mind that should reduce her culpability to manslaughter rather than murder.
Despite these arguments, the jury, composed of seven women and five men, took only 35 minutes to reach a verdict.
They found her guilty of murder, a decision that was met with a stern response from Mr.
Justice Bean.
In his sentencing remarks, he emphasized the gravity of her crime, stating, “You knew quite well what you were doing and you were not mentally ill.
The crimes were, as the prosecution rightly put it, murder, full stop.” Justice Bean also expressed his sorrow over the loss of the two young girls, describing their deaths as “cruelly cut down in the prime of life” and acknowledging the profound impact on their father and friends.
The case has left a lasting scar on the community of Baker and serves as a stark reminder of the tragic consequences of familial violence and mental health issues.
