A 73- year-old Nigerian mother, Mrs. Oluremi Adeleye, whose actions led to the death of an 8-month-old baby in Maryland, United States, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Adeleye was found guilty in a bench trial in February of child abuse and second-degree murder.
The US Prosecutors said Adeleye forced milk down the throat of 8-month-old Enita Salubi in Glenarden in October 2016, suffocating the child.
The incident was captured on a nanny camera. The defense had argued that force-feeding was a common practice in Nigeria from where Adeleke came from.
Meanwhile, a child expert based in Washington, Susan Jeremy has pleaded with sponsors of nannies to tutor them to the rules of engagement in a foreign land.
Jeremy said “this type of feeding is alien to the Western world and the onus of ensuring that everything is done in consonance with the practice here lies with those who sponsor these women to the US. The sponsor is obligated to orientating them on all the dos and dont’s in the workplace.
“This is a place that is alien to where they are coming from in terms of weather and living standards. Most of those in these category of workers are less privileged even from Nigeria where the electricity is not constant and they live through hard times.
“That notwistanding, this lady in question is way too old to be thrown into a labor market where the skill of communication is totally different from hers. Granted they make money but the dilemma she now finds herself preponderates any reason for her to do that job.”
Jeremy blamed the Nigerian Embassy for not intervening at Adeleye’s case.
“Our embassy too should have intervened since this incident happened in 2016 and a ruling on the case was recently made about a week ago. At 73yrs to serve 15 years in an American jail is bad news.”
