Mum whose baby drowned in bath given suspended sentence

A mother whose nine-month-old baby drowned in a bath in Cospicua in August 2012 has been handed a suspended sentence, with a magistrate noting that although she had caused the death through negligence, losing her baby was the greatest punishment a mum could get. The mother, who was just 17 years old at the time, was chatting on Facebook in the bedroom while her baby was bathing. The baby drowned in the bath. An autopsy confirmed that the baby's heart stopped beating because of the amount of water she had swallowed. The mother's name cannot be mentioned as the court ordered a ban on its publication because she was a minor when the accident took place. The entire court case was heard behind closed doors. Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit found the mother guilty of causing her daughter's death through negligence. She jailed her for two years suspended for three years, as well as a three-year supervision order to receive help to address her problems. The baby, Roselana, died on August 31, 2012. Facebook chats were presented in court to prove that the mother was chatting to a friend while her baby was drowning in the bathroom. The court heard how the bath was filled to the very top...