An 18-day-old infant girl, identified as Mariam, tragically sustained a fatal head injury after she was allegedly thrown from a window by her mother, according to court proceedings.
On Saturday, Mariam fell from a sash window of her family’s third-floor apartment located in Westminster, central London. The incident prompted an emergency call from her father, Zahira Byjaouane, 43, who reported that a child had fallen from a window at approximately 7:30 AM.
Emergency services, including the London Ambulance Service and police, arrived swiftly at the scene, where they discovered Mariam lying on a concrete surface between the block of flats on Great Peter Street and a high metal railing. The infant was transported to the hospital in critical condition after falling approximately 10 meters, or 32 feet, from the window. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at 9 AM, having suffered a skull fracture.
Following the incident, authorities entered the flat and found Byjaouane seated on a bed. Initially arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, she was subsequently charged with murder the following day. At the time of the incident, Mariam’s father was reportedly in the kitchen preparing baby formula when the alleged act occurred. He attempted to reach his daughter after witnessing her fall but was unable to do so before returning inside to call for help.
During the court hearing, prosecutor Philip McGhee provided details of the case, while Judge Mark Lucraft KC established a timeline for the proceedings. A plea hearing is scheduled for June 3, with a provisional 10-day trial set to commence on February 15, 2027. The judge has ordered that the defendant remain in custody.
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Bildquelle: ai-generated-gemini
