Social services to probe death of girl whose teen mum left her to starve while going on six-day bender for 18th birthday
A SERIOUS case review has been launched after a 20-month-old baby girl was left to starve to death while her mum went on a six-day bender to celebrate her 18th birthday.
Verphy Kudi, now 19, was caught on CCTV leaving her flat in Brighton in December 2019 with daughter Asiah inside with no food or water.
Kudi attended parties in London and the West Midlands as her daughter perished.
The teenager called 999 when she returned home six days later saying her baby would not wake up.
The flat was run by charity YMCA DownsLink which supports vulnerable young families on behalf of Brighton City Council.
YMCA Downslink staff are located in the block but do not enter the living areas or carry out visits or inspections.
Asiah did not have a social worker even though Kudi had repeatedly gone missing since the age of 14 and had been the subject of a number of police appeals.
Brighton and Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership has now launched a serious case review into the case.
A post-mortem exam and subsequent forensic tests found baby Asiah was dehydrated and starved and died from neglect.
Kudi wept in the dock today at Lewes Crown Court as she pleaded guilty to manslaughter between December 4 and 12.
She had been due to stand trial later this year but her plea was accepted by the prosecution.
The mum will be sentenced on May 28 pending a psychology report - but was warned this date could be delayed.
Kudi, who has been in prison since being charged in October last year, was remanded in custody.
No further details of how the tragic tot was left alone for so long were disclosed at the brief hearing.
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Speaking after the hearing, Asiah's grandad Muba Kudi, 59, said: “My heart is so broken. My daughter was missing. She had been missing since the age of 14."
Brighton and Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership (BHSCP) said: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Asiah. In our safeguarding role, we will work with our partners to look into what has happened and carry out a Child Safeguarding Practice Review.
'This includes working with our partner Sussex Police to make sure our review is carried out in support of or alongside their ongoing actions in this case."
