A stepfather pleaded guilty to the murder of a five-year-old child who had serious injuries similar to those sustained in a vehicle accident.
In December of 2019, Nadia Zofia Kalinowska, age 5, was brought to the hospital from her home in Newtownabbey, County Antrim.
On the second day of his trial at Belfast Crown Court, her stepfather, Abdul Wahab, 34, pled guilty to the child’s murder.
In addition, he pleaded guilty twice to grievous bodily injury with intent, including within 24 hours of the deadly assault.
Aleksandra Wahab, the mother of Nadia, pleaded guilty to allowing a child’s death and causing a child to suffer significant bodily damage.
Wahab was sentenced to life in prison, but he must return to the Belfast Crown Court the following month to determine the minimum term he must serve.
At the Wednesday beginning of the case, the prosecutor, Liam McCollum, described Nadia’s injuries.
Nadia’s death was directly attributable to a broken skull and a lacerated liver, as determined by an autopsy.
However, the examination revealed that the 5-year-old child had been exposed to a long-term campaign of abuse, as shown by pre-existing injuries.
Her ribs had been broken and re-broken. She also had collarbone fractures, pelvic fractures, and gastrointestinal damage.
Pathologists discovered a total of 70 surface lesions on the body of the child, including cuts and bruises.
The injuries were reported as being comparable to those observed on victims of automobile accidents.
On December 15, 2019, the pair first claimed that Nadia had fallen down the stairs as they were sleeping in their house on the northern suburbs of Belfast.
However, the pair was arrested and eventually charged with murder after the discovery of various and perhaps historic injuries on Nadia’s body, indicating that she had been subjected to long-term abuse.
After the prosecution accepted the guilty pleas, Mr Justice O’Hara discharged the jury.
The judge ordered the duo to remain in detention until March 9, when sentence will be completed.
Prior to sentence, the attorneys for the couple are likely to submit reports to the court.
»Stepfather pleads guilty to murdering his five-year-old daughter«