Woman charged with murder following death of her daughter in 2022 appears in court
A woman has appeared in court charged with the murder of her two-year-old daughter, who died in Telford in August 2022.
Sarah Ngaba, 30, of HMP Foston Hall in Derbyshire, was charged by West Mercia Police last week in connection with the death of her daughter, Eliza Ngaba.
The charge comes after Eliza died at The Princess Royal Hospital in Telford on August 15, 2022.
Ngaba had previously been found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent in November 2020 at Stafford Crown Court and was sentenced to 14 years in custody.
This conviction related to injuries Eliza sustained in November 2019 at the age of two months. At the time, Eliza was left with permanent brain damage and what were described as "life-threatening and life-limiting" injuries.
Following Eliza's death in 2022, West Mercia Police conducted further inquiries to determine if additional legal action was warranted.
Ngaba, formerly of Briarwood in Telford, appeared via video-link from the Derbyshire prison at Telford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. During the brief three-minute hearing, she spoke only to confirm she could hear the proceedings and to thank District Judge Ian Barnes after he addressed her.
District Judge Barnes referred the case to Stafford Crown Court, citing the serious nature of the charge which can only be dealt with at that level.
He informed Ngaba that she would be required to appear there on Wednesday and remanded her in custody until that appearance.
