VIKTORIA TAUTZ SHAKES BABY TO DEATH IN BARNET HOME

In June 2017, a tragic incident unfolded in Barnet that would leave a community in shock and a family devastated. Viktoria Tautz, a 34-year-old nanny residing on Holly Park Road, was convicted of causing the death of a 10-month-old baby named Joshua Paul, whom she was caring for at the time.

According to court proceedings, Tautz lost her composure and, in a moment of anger, violently shook Joshua within just thirty minutes of his mother, Pearl Paul, leaving for work. The prosecution argued that her actions were not accidental but a result of her 'snapping,' leading to catastrophic injuries to the child's brain and spinal cord through what was described as 'dangerous and excessive shaking.'

Following the assault, Joshua was immediately taken to hospital, where medical staff discovered severe brain injuries. Despite the efforts of healthcare professionals, the child's condition deteriorated rapidly, and he passed away three days later, on September 1, at Great Ormond Street Hospital. His parents were present at his death, holding him in their arms.

During the trial, Tautz maintained her innocence, denying any manslaughter charges. She insisted she had never been 'angry' or 'frustrated' with Joshua, who was born ten weeks prematurely and had multiple health issues, including fluid on the soft spot of his head. Her defense argued that the injuries might have resulted from a 'horsey game,' but the jury was told that such head wobbling would not have been sufficient to cause fatal harm.

Viktoria Tautz had begun working for the family on June 16, 2014, shortly after Joshua's mother returned to her job. She was given explicit instructions on how to care for Joshua, emphasizing the importance of monitoring his health due to his vulnerabilities. The mother had warned her that if Joshua vomited, stopped eating, or lost consciousness, she was to take him immediately to the hospital.

On the morning of August 29, 2014, at approximately 8:40 am, Pearl Paul left her son in Tautz’s care, with Joshua appearing 'happy and playing' in their one-bedroom flat. Less than an hour later, at 9:07 am, a neighbor called emergency services after witnessing Tautz rushing out of the flat, shouting for help while holding Joshua, who was unresponsive and not breathing. Emergency responders arrived to find Joshua suffering from severe brain injuries deemed 'irrecoverable.' Despite medical intervention, he died three days later.

In her testimony, Tautz expressed her fear, claiming, 'I was absolutely scared. I didn’t know what happened to him.' She denied intentionally shaking Joshua in an attempt to revive him. The court heard that her actions were not premeditated but rather a moment of loss of control.

During sentencing, Mrs. Justice McGowan acknowledged that Tautz did not intend to cause serious harm. She stated, 'You lost your temper or you were frustrated – I have no doubt at all it was just your way of trying to stop him crying or making him go to sleep.' However, she also emphasized that Tautz was not in a situation comparable to a teenage mother alone in a flat at night without support. The judge concluded her remarks by sentencing Tautz to four years in prison, and she was visibly emotional as she was led away, collapsing in tears in the dock.