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Mother guilty of home alone death | Mother guilty of home alone death |
(30 minutes later) | |
A mother has been found guilty of causing or allowing the death of her 22-month-old daughter who died in a house fire after being left alone. | A mother has been found guilty of causing or allowing the death of her 22-month-old daughter who died in a house fire after being left alone. |
Michelle Brown, 37, of Oxford Street, Hillfields, Coventry, was also found guilty at Coventry Crown Court of perverting the course of justice. | Michelle Brown, 37, of Oxford Street, Hillfields, Coventry, was also found guilty at Coventry Crown Court of perverting the course of justice. |
Jodie Ann Brown died from smoke inhalation after an electrical fire broke out at her home on 15 July. | Jodie Ann Brown died from smoke inhalation after an electrical fire broke out at her home on 15 July. |
Her mother, who was known to social services, had left her alone. | |
Coventry City Council said the case had deeply affected Brown's other children. | |
Trapped upstairs | |
It said it was waiting for the results of a review into the case. | It said it was waiting for the results of a review into the case. |
The court case heard how Brown had been attending a county court hearing when the fire broke out. Jodie Ann Brown was left alone by her mother in their home | |
It was a family hearing concerning one of her other children. | |
Brown has three children living in England and two more in her native Jamaica. | |
The trial was told Jodie Ann was left trapped in an upstairs bedroom for up to three hours. | The trial was told Jodie Ann was left trapped in an upstairs bedroom for up to three hours. |
The prosecution said she had no chance of escape as both the bedroom door and window were shut. | The prosecution said she had no chance of escape as both the bedroom door and window were shut. |
The two-week trial heard how Jodie Ann was in the unventilated room when a "slow, smouldering fire" broke out. | The two-week trial heard how Jodie Ann was in the unventilated room when a "slow, smouldering fire" broke out. |
Began crying | Began crying |
When Brown arrived home she was filmed by CCTV cameras carrying her daughter in her arms. | When Brown arrived home she was filmed by CCTV cameras carrying her daughter in her arms. |
She eventually phoned an ambulance from a nearby hairdresser's, but her daughter was declared dead later. | She eventually phoned an ambulance from a nearby hairdresser's, but her daughter was declared dead later. |
After the fire, Brown asked a friend to tell police she had been looking after her daughter. | After the fire, Brown asked a friend to tell police she had been looking after her daughter. |
As the verdicts were read out, Brown collapsed and began crying. | As the verdicts were read out, Brown collapsed and began crying. |
She is due to be sentenced later. | She is due to be sentenced later. |
A Coventry City Council spokesman said the authority was pleased with the outcome of the court case. | |
He added: "Our sympathies are with Jodie Ann's siblings whom we know have been deeply affected by the loss of their sister." | He added: "Our sympathies are with Jodie Ann's siblings whom we know have been deeply affected by the loss of their sister." |
The council said a serious case review was launched after the death and was expected to conclude later this month. |