The couple tried to accuse paramedics of injuring their daughter, who was later found with 60 broken bones. They are now facing prison for her death.
Naomi Johnson, 23, and Benjamin O’Shea, 26, were found guilty of physically abusing their eight-week-old girl Amina and of cruelty to another child.
Amina died on the spot in Southwark (central London) after she stopped breathing.
Police said that there were no obvious injuries, and her cause of death was initially thought to have been Sudden Unexplained Death in Infants.
Amina was later found to have suffered more than 60 fractured bones after her death. This included 41 fractures in her ribs, and 24 fractures of the limb bone.
Johnson and O’Shea have since appeared at a four-week trial at Inner London Crown Court and are due to be sentenced on December 17.
Naomi Johnson, 23, and Benjamin O’Shea (26), were found guilty in the physical abuse of their 8-week-old daughter Amina. They also committed cruelty to another child.
Johnson (above) and O’Shea have been seen at the Inner London Crown Court trial for four weeks and will be sentenced December 17.
As part of their investigation into Amina’s death, detectives from the Met’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command looked through texts exchanged between the couple.
They found that O’Shea boasted of his military service when he had actually been a reservist for a couple of years.
Between 2016 and 2019, he had made numerous calls to NHS 111, talking about his aggression and self-diagnosed PTSD.
Initial statements by O’Shea were made to paramedics, stating that he took Amina to a GP on the morning of her death.
Johnson said that Johnson had administered paracetamol to her so she could go back to sleep.
O’Shea told paramedics she put O’Shea back in bed, and then called 999 when he found her unconscious 20 minutes later.
Doctors later discovered that he had told Amina that paracetamol was given to her before she fell asleep, but that Amina only woke up around 1 AM.
Amina then is said to have received more paracetamol before Johnson got up and fed her. Johnson then heard Amina crying at 7.30 am.
O’Shea said that Anima appeared faintly conscious when he checked on her and placed his ear against her chest. Her arms were floppy and she seemed to be having a weak heartbeat.
The multiple fractures, which were found by radiologists to be highly suggestive of continued physical abuse against Amina because they were all relatively recent and had begun to heal according to police.
Johnson and O’Shea claimed in police interviews that Amina’s death was due to the GP visit and the fractures caused by the paramedics (file photo of Inner London Crown Court)
The post-mortem could not give any cause of death, but due to injuries suffered, a criminal probe was opened on May 3, 2019.
Johnson and O’Shea were arrested and claimed in police interviews that Amina’s death was due to the GP visit and the fractures caused by the paramedics.
Police found text messages between the couple relating to their second child. The child was not known but can’t be identified because of legal reasons.
Melanie Pressley, Detective Inspector Melanie, was the one who conducted the investigation and said, “This is truly a heartbreaking case. It has touched all those of us who have tried to bring Johnson and O’Shea before the courts for their horrific crimes.”
“The cruelty and inhumanity with which O’Shea and Johnson discussed the treatment the other child in the case is quite shocking. Johnson and O’Shea betray children.
Amina was a victim of an unbelievable number of injuries in her short life. She suffered terrible trauma in her very short lifetime. The cruelty an adult inflicts on innocent and defenseless children is just as incomprehensible.
“Throughout our investigation, we have not been able to establish the cause of death for the baby. Johnson and O’Shea continue to refuse to answer all our questions.
“They tried to protect themselves, but they did so for their children.
DC Caroline Baker was part of the investigation team and said: “It’s difficult to talk of justice in cases like this. However, I hope today’s verdict sends a clear message about how these children were treated and that the abuse that they sustained will be punished.”