Mother guilty of killing baby daughter who suffered catastrophic brain injuries

A mother has been found guilty of killing her three-month old daughter by violently shaking her and causing catastrophic brain injuries.

Kaylani Kalanzi, who was known to social services before she was born, was admitted to hospital on 8 July 2024 with an injury to her head.

She had also suffered a broken leg and ribs, and despite the best efforts of hospital staff, she died 15 days later at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Her mother Nazli Merhoca, 24, was found guilty at the Old Bailey of manslaughter, after she was acquitted of the more serious charge of murder.

Her partner, Herbert Kalani, was acquitted of causing or allowing Kaylani’s death, after being cleared of her murder on the directions of the judge.

The court heard that Kaylani had been placed on a child protection plan, and that her parents were “selfish and irresponsible” and had placed their abusive relationship over their baby’s needs.

After being born prematurely, she spent 29 days in the special care baby unit at North MIddlesex Hospital before being allowed home on 13 May.

Her parents were allowed custody after they demonstrated to social services that they were capable of being fit parents.

This included Mr Kalazi agreeing to attend a programme aimed at engaging fathers to enhance the safety of their children called Caring Dad.

However, jurors heard that the “ever-present risk” to Kaylani became a “fatal reality” on 8 July, when they phoned emergency services shortly before 10.30pm to report Kaylani had stopped breathing.

When paramedics arrived, Merthoca failed to inform them that Kaylani had been shaken, causing bleeding to the brain, damage to her eyes and fractures to her tibia and ribs, the court was told.

Staff at Great Ormond Street Hospital noted Merthoca had become upset at being questioned about what happened, and had claimed she was being blamed because of her “race and gender”.

A specialist postmortem confirmed that Kaylani had died due to blunt force trauma – a finding which contradicted her mother’s account, and that her injuries could only have been sustained from severe shaking.

Messages on WhatsApp and Snapchat uncovered after their arrests revealed the extent of their volatile relationship.

On 17 June 2024, Kalanzi messaged Merthoca to complain about being locked out, saying: “Who do you think you are?”

Merthoca told him that she was going to call police and Kalanzi called her “dumb” and responded: “If you go police u lose everything. Moving like social aren’t onto us about domestic.”

She also accused Kalazi of hurting their daughter, telling him: “You hurt Kaylani eye. Wtf I’m reporting this. You gave her a black eye. And blood.”

A Snapchat video taken in the early hours showed Kaylani lying on a cushion with a visible eye injury, jurors were told.

Both defendants denied harming Kaylani at Merthoca’s grandmother’s flat in Homerton, east London, where the family was staying at the time.

Merthoca wiped away tears in the dock as she was remanded into custody to be sentenced on 15 December.

Detective Inspector John Marriott, from Specialist Crime North - who led the investigation - said: “Merthoca carried out a horrific assault on her own child. To add insult, she then spun a web of lies to the emergency services in order to cover up her responsibility.

“Though Kaylani’s life was cut short by this hideous abuse, there were relatives who loved and cared for her. They have been left traumatised by her killing, and our thoughts are with them at this time.

“Investigators compiled extensive digital evidence, which, coupled with overwhelming medical evidence, painted a damning picture of the defendant at trial.

“Offences against children – especially of this gravity – are some of the most difficult cases police deal with. The evidence here was particularly harrowing and complex, and I would like to commend the investigation team for their work bringing Merthoca to justice.”