Mother ‘spun web of lies’ after shaking baby daughter to death

A mum has been found guilty of killing her three-month-old daughter.

Baby Kaylani Kalanzi died at Great Ormond Street Hospital in July last year after suffering traumatic brain injuries when her mum, Nazli Merthoca, shook her weeks before.

Merthoca, 24, ‘spun a web of lies’ to the emergency services after calling paramedics to her home in Homerton High Street, London, on July 8, 2024.

She claimed Kaylani had stopped breathing – scans at the hospital found the infant had suffered extensive brain damage.

Merthoca has now been convicted of manslaughter at the Old Bailey. Her partner and Kaylani’s dad, 35-year-old Herbert Kalanzi, was cleared of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child.

Kaylani was already known to social services and was on a child protection plan when she was admitted to Homerton hospital.

Jurors were told Kalanzi and Merthoca were in a ‘mutually abusive relationship’, with Kaylani left vulnerable to their inability to put her safety first.

Kaylani had been born prematurely and spent 29 days in the special care baby unit at North Middlesex Hospital before being allowed home.

Social services allowed Merthoca and Kalanzi to have custody of their daughter after demonstrating they were fit parents.

But the prosecution said the defendants’ relationship was so damaged that the social services strategy was ‘doomed to fail’.

As well as being shaken, leaving her with brain damage, Kaylani also suffered damaged to her eyes and fractures to her tibia and ribs.

A day later, on July 9, Merthoca was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. While being processed in police custody, she threatened to leave the country if she was released on bail.

In her initial police interviews, Merthoca said Kaylani became unwell while she was caring for her, ultimately slipping into unconsciousness.

That day, Kaylani was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where she remained as her condition gradually deteriorated.

Eventually the decision was made to remove life support and she was pronounced dead on July 23, 2024.

A post-mortem confirmed Kaylani died due to blunt force trauma. A forensic pathologist found the baby’s injuries could only have been caused by severe shaking.

Detective Inspector John Marriott, who led the investigation, said: ‘Merthoca carried out a horrific assault on her own child. To add insult, she then spun a web of lies to the emergency services in order to cover up her responsibility.

‘Though Kaylani’s life was cut short by this hideous abuse, there were relatives who loved and cared for her.

‘They have been left traumatised by her killing, and our thoughts are with them at this time.

‘Investigators compiled extensive digital evidence, which, coupled with overwhelming medical evidence, painted a damning picture of the defendant at trial.

‘offenses against children – especially of this gravity – are some of the most difficult cases police deal with.

‘The evidence here was particularly harrowing and complex, and I would like to commend the investigation team for their work bringing Merthoca to justice.’

Merthoca will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on December 15.

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