ABERDEEN WOMAN GUILTY OF CHILD NEGLECT AND SUPERVISED AFTER TRAGEDY

An Aberdeen woman named Jade Martin has been placed under supervision after she was found guilty of two counts of neglecting children. One of the children, her baby daughter, tragically died at the age of just three months, but Martin was not held responsible for her death. The court heard that Martin admitted to wilfully neglecting her infant in the 12 weeks leading up to her death. She also faced a second charge of neglect involving a toddler she cared for. Martin pleaded guilty to these offences and was sentenced to supervision for two years. Regarding the tragic death of her baby, which occurred on March 2, 2023, the court was told that Martin placed her daughter on a bed and lay down next to her to sleep around 1pm. She awoke at approximately 4pm to find her baby unresponsive. Both were taken to hospital, where the baby later died. Toxicology reports revealed trace amounts of cocaine in the baby's system, though it was unclear how the drug had entered her system. Martin admitted that she had engaged in neglectful behaviour, including not adequately supervising her children, consuming alcohol and drugs in their presence, often to the point of unconsciousness, thus being incapable of caring for them. She has a lengthy criminal record with convictions for violence involving weapons, disorder, dishonesty, drug possession, and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Health and social workers had been involved with Martin prior to her daughter's death, with a routine visit shortly before she died observing that the infant was safe and making developmental progress. Her solicitor stated that Martin had a difficult upbringing, left home at 16, and was involved with bad company and drugs until the tragic events of 2023. She is now on prescription medication for mental health issues. Sheriff Craig Findlater, in her sentencing, emphasized that Martin was not considered responsible for her daughter's death but acknowledged her troubled background. Her sentence included a two-year supervision order and an electronic tag for seven months, with a curfew from 7pm to 7am. Martin expressed to reporters that she did not believe she was responsible for her child's death and requested that it be clearly noted.