VIDEO | Britain: Their son died in agony from malnutrition, and then they tried to revive him with rituals
Today, the British court condemned the parents who did not seek medical help for their sick son (6), and after his death, they buried the body in a shallow grave in their yard, so they tried to revive him with rituals.
Tai, 42, and Nayami, 43, Yasharahajala, were convicted of child cruelty and concealment of evidence. Their son Abijah died of a respiratory illness and suffered from severe malnutrition, rickets, anemia, stunted growth and tooth decay, reports Sky News.
Jurors were told his parents were guided by a belief system that included a restrictive vegan diet and a reclusive lifestyle.
- Although the boy was in great pain, they did not ask for help, prosecutors said.
Apparently the boy was in a lot of pain before his death and neither parent could explain why they didn't seek help. They kept the boy's body in bed for eight days after his death at the start of the 2020 pandemic.
With a ritual they tried to bring their son back from the dead"
The boy had six fractures to his arm, leg and ribs. However, the exact cause of death could not be determined due to the condition of his remains. The couple were arrested in December 2022 while living in a trailer in Glastonbury and their son was found five days later.
Tai, who was born in London and graduated in medical genetics, carried out the "eight-day ritual" in the hope that his son would "come back from the dead". Defense lawyers argued that the couple buried their son in the hope that he might be "reborn.
- They honestly believed that they were doing the right thing. They sincerely believed that their diet and faith in natural and holistic medicine was the best way - said Bernard Tetlow at the trial.
The couple devised a belief system incorporating aspects of Nigerian Igbo culture, which Tai adapted to suit him. Tai and Nayami denied the charges, but a jury unanimously convicted them today.
Inspector Joe Davenport said after the verdict that Tai was "a very arrogant man, someone who mixes fantasy and reality and likes to manipulate people", and that Nayami had put loyalty to her husband before her own child.
