A woman who killed her seven-month-old baby has been jailed for six years.

Shalini Padmanabha was found guilty of the manslaughter and child cruelty on Monday, July 1, following a trial at the Inner London Court.

The court heard how she’d subjected her daughter, Shagun Prasad, to a number of assaults over the course of several weeks.

Shagun died in hospital after being found unresponsive at an address in Epping New Road, Buckhurst Hill, at around 3am on August, 15 2018.

A post-mortem examination found she died as a result of a severe head injury and had suffered several injuries including fractures to her skull and ribs.

Epping Forest Guardian:

Experts told the trial that these injuries ranged from being days old to more than four weeks old.

In a statement, Shagun’s dad said: “I will live with anguish for the rest of my life that I will never be able to see my girl again.

“I will never be able see her grow up, educate and have her own life.

“Me and my family lost a precious human being. I really adored my girl."

It was also testified that Shagun’s injuries could not have been as a result of an accident and indicated she’d been assaulted on more than one occasion.

Denying a charge of murder, Padmanabha had said the injuries were because her daughter ‘wiggled a lot’ when in her Moses basket, swing or on the floor.

Shagun had conceived via IVF after her parents had been married for about eight years.

The infant was born prematurely with several medical problems, which required numerous operations and a four-month hospital stay.

Following a three-week trial, Padmanabha was convicted of manslaughter and child cruelty and, at the Old Bailey today (Friday 19 July).

She has been jailed for six years for manslaughter and two years for child cruelty. The sentences will run concurrently.

Detective Chief Inspector Natalia Ross said: “Shalini Padmanabha subjected her daughter to repeated assaults over the course of several weeks.

“She should have protected Shagun but, instead, was the person who caused her death and this is something she will have to live with for the rest of her life.

“This has been a particularly tough case to investigate for the officers involved, many of whom are parents themselves, and I want to praise their professionalism and dedication in the search for justice.

“My thoughts go out to the rest of Shagun’s family.”