SHIDANE MOHAMED FROM LONDON JAILED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN ABBEY WOOD

In a tragic case that has shocked the community of Abbey Wood in South East London, Shidane Mohamed, a 44-year-old man, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the severe neglect and abuse of his one-year-old daughter, Amani Mohamed. The heartbreaking incident came to light in February 2013 when emergency services were called to a residence on Bracondale Road in Abbey Wood.

According to reports, Amani was found unresponsive at her home and was immediately transported to a nearby hospital in South London. Despite the efforts of medical staff, she was pronounced dead less than thirty minutes after her arrival, at 1:47 pm. A post-mortem examination conducted at Great Ormond Street Hospital revealed a horrifying pattern of injuries: the young girl had sustained a total of 70 separate fractures across her tiny body. The injuries included fractures to her ribs, arms, legs, and shoulders, indicating prolonged and severe abuse.

On the day of the incident, the London Ambulance Service responded to a call made at 1:20 pm by the child's father, Shidane Mohamed. When emergency personnel arrived, they found Amani in a critical state, unresponsive and suffering from multiple injuries. Despite their efforts to save her, her life could not be spared. The authorities quickly launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Both parents were detained and questioned by police, but they refused to provide any information regarding the injuries inflicted on their daughter. Further inquiries uncovered that the child's mother, Kafiyu Dahir Tabarak, aged 36, had taken Amani to see a doctor at some point but failed to disclose the extent of her injuries. Friends of the mother reported that she had spoken about Amani experiencing pain when trying to move her arm or shoulder, yet she did not seek immediate medical attention for the child’s injuries.

Legal proceedings commenced on January 6, 2014, with both parents facing charges related to child neglect and abuse. During the trial, the court heard evidence of the prolonged period over which the injuries were inflicted, estimated to be between two to four weeks. The investigation was led by Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, who described the case as profoundly distressing. He emphasized the betrayal of trust by the parents, stating, “Thirteen-month-old Amani would have looked to her parents for love and care; instead, they abused the privilege of being parents to this little girl by inflicting seventy separate injuries over a period of two to four weeks.”

Judge handed down a sentence of two and a half years imprisonment to Shidane Mohamed for child neglect. His partner, Kafiyu Dahir Tabarak, received a two-year suspended sentence and was ordered to adhere to a curfew from 9 pm to 6 am. The case has left the community in mourning and highlights the devastating consequences of neglect and abuse within families, especially towards the most vulnerable members of society.