Stoke-on-Trent mother found guilty of child cruelty after baby dies while she drank with a friend

A mother from Stoke-on-Trent has been found guilty of child cruelty after her five-month-old daughter died at home while she drank vodka with a friend. Natasha Birks, 37, had sole responsibility for Rhian Mahoney that night and placed the infant on a settee before she and a friend began drinking.

Birks and her friend consumed large quantities of vodka mixed with orange juice and Irish cream liqueur in a room separate from Rhian’s sleeping area. Birks did not eat to counteract the alcohol and left the house several times to smoke cigarettes on the night of November 1, 2021. She only briefly observed her daughter from a dining room doorway rather than conducting proper checks as Rhian slept.

When Rhian did not wake for her usual feed between about 4:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., Birks failed to notice the deviation from routine. Between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., she was unable to recognise her daughter’s deterioration in health, and the baby had already died by the time paramedics were alerted.

Natasha Birks was convicted of child cruelty and is due to be sentenced in December. Elaine Radway, a lawyer for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Birks chose to drink heavily while responsible for a five-month-old who was entirely dependent on her. While the CPS said Birks did not cause or foresee the death, her level of intoxication meant she could not provide the supervision Rhian needed. The CPS added that the law holds parents accountable for the safety and wellbeing of their children, and there are serious consequences when this duty is neglected. Our thoughts remain with all those affected.