‘Killer mum told medics she would not speak to anyone white of male’

A mother accused of shaking her baby daughter to death told doctors she would not speak to anyone who was white or male as it intimidated her, a court heard.

Three-month-old Kaylani Kalanzi died from being violently shaken after being caught in the middle of her parents’ ‘mutually abusive relationship’, the Old Bailey has heard.

She was taken to hospital on 8 July last year after her parents called 999 and was transferred to Great Ormond Street where she died on 23 July 2024.

Her mother, Nazil Merthoca, 24, is accused of murdering her daughter while her father, Ugandan national Herbert Kalanzi, 35, is accused of allowing the baby’s death.

The couple were both charged with murder at the start of the trial but the prosecution withdrew the charge against Kalzani after the end of the evidence.

They allege that Merthoca killed her daughter while Kalazni knew the child was at risk of serious harm from her mother but did nothing to prevent it.

Merthoca denies murder while Kalzani denies causing or allowing the death of a child.

The abusive relationship was ‘out of control’ and Merthoca was using drugs leading to Kaylani being put on a child protection plan before her death, the Old Bailey heard.

Merthoca was aggressive and obstructive to paramedics trying to help her daughter and later asked if she was being blamed because of her race and gender, jurors were told.

She later said hospital staff were discriminating against her and called Great Ormond Street ‘a hospital of white supremacy’.

In her closing speech to the jury prosecutor Zoe Johnson, KC, said: ‘On 8 July Kaylani suffered a fatal brain injury in the context of an argument late in the evening.

‘An argument developed. The neighbour told you between 8pm and 9pm she heard banging from upstairs, the noise lasted 10 to 15 minutes.

‘Neither of the defendants mentioned the arguments that proceeded the collapse in their interviews.

‘They wanted the collapse to seem it came out of the blue. It did not.

‘She called 999. She exhibited aggression. She did not put Kaylnai’s welfare first.

‘When Kaylani’s life was hanging by a thread she was coldly detached.

‘Then her demeanour switches and she becomes aggressive with the paramedics and hospital doctors.

‘She even complains in the back of the ambulance that the paramedic is not paying enough attention to her in the back.

‘At Homerton Hospital she said she would not speak to anyone who was white or male as it intimidated her.

‘At Great Ormond Street she accused that hospital of white supremacy.

‘What she was dong was trying to set up her defence and blame others for her injuries.’

Ms Johnson said incense was likely burning in the flat when paramedics arrived to hide the smell of cannabis.

She said that although Merthoca had always blamed Kalanzi in the past she never blamed him for the injuries that night.

‘Why didn’t she behave as she habitually did and accuse him?

‘You can draw the inference she did not accuse Mr Kalanzi because she knew it was she who caused those injuries.

‘If she wanted Mr Kalzani out of her the easiest thing to do was say he had done it and absolve herself.’

Ms Johnson said: ‘The fact that she loved Kaylani is no defence. People are capable of hurting people they love.’

She told the jury that if they are not sure which defendant killed Kaylani they can convict both defendants of causing or allowing the death of a child.

‘Rather than allowing the wall of silence to defeat justice, it means you can convict without having to choose which defendant caused Kaylani’s death and which allowed it.

‘The prosecution case is that Mr Kaylani allowed it to happen.’

Ms Johnson said that Kaylani was subject to a child protection plan from social services because of Merthoca’s substance abuse, mental health problems and the domestic conflict within the relationship.

‘Social services instituted a safety plan but much of it was ignored by the defendants.But social services was unaware of quite how hostile the defendants were towards them.’

She said the couple deceived social services.

She said Kalanzi had signed the plan saying Merthoca must not use cannabis while caring for Kaylani and that he should remove himself from any conflict in the home.

But she said he had told someone his goal was to get social services out of their lives.

Ms Johnson said the couple were ‘selfish and irresponsible’.

She said Kalanzi has said nothing because he knew he should have protected his daughter from harm and failed to do so.

‘He was instrumental in concealing the truth from authorities and ensuring there was no illumination on what really happened within the household.

‘He was instrumental in allowing those risk factors to fester and grow with terrible consequences on 8 July.’

Merthoca, of East Ham, denies murder and causing or allowing the death of a child.

Kalanzi, also of East Ham, denies causing or allowing the death of a child.

The trial continues.
ends