A caregiver, Clara Ayan Ampah, who allegedly caused the death of an 11- month -old baby girl at a preschool at Abgogba, Accra, is to stand trial for manslaughter next July, at the High Court.
The District Court at Adenta last Tuesday conducted committal proceedings following the Attorney-General’s advice that accused be charged with manslaughter.
Clara was earlier charged provisionally with negligently causing harm as a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) captured her pushing food down the toddler’s throat in the school, where she worked.
The baby was pronounced dead when she was taken to the North Legon Hospital, Accra, and Clara was arrested after parents of the baby reported their daughter’s death to the police at Agbogba on May 18, 2021.
A police report states that the father of the victim, on May 18, 2021, reported to the Agbogba police that the management of the school informed him that his daughter was sick, taken to the North Legon Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
A team of police investigators went to the hospital and examined the body of the girl, after, which they conveyed it to the Police Hospital morgue.
An autopsy was conducted on the body of the baby after which it was released to the family for burial.
The Proprietress of the School handed over CCTV footage of the day of the incident to the police, which revealed how Clara had handled the baby.
In the video, Clara was seen trying to force food substance from a cup, believed to be porridge, into the mouth of the victim, while she held the baby’s hands tightly behind.
She was also seen pushing the baby’s head into the cup in an attempt to make the girl eat, while the baby, who appeared to be suffocating, screamed and jerked her leg. – GNA
