A seven-year-old boy died from a fatal asthma attack after his mum smoked drugs from his inhaler.
Laura Heath, 39, left her son Hakeem Hussain to die alone in a freezing garden in Birmingham, in November 2017 after he got out of bed to get some fresh air. A court was told he died from acute exacerbation of asthma after being exposed heroin and crack cocaine by his mother.
Jurors were told how she would "source heroin and crack cocaine” as her “first priority in life" ahead of the welfare of her young son. Shocking images released by police showed how Heath had used Hakeem's inhalers to smoke class A drugs from despite his breathing getting worse "day by day."
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Hakeem, who was suffering from uncontrolled asthma, was found in the garden at around 7.30am on November 26, 2017 but could not be saved by medics. Heath had denied manslaughter but pleaded guilty to four counts of child cruelty and went on trial at Coventry Crown Court.
Jurors spent seven-and-a-half hours deliberating before returning their unanimous guilty verdicts on Friday. She will be sentenced on Thursday (April 28).
During the month-long trial, the court had heard how Hakeem's death could have been completely avoided. He was also made to sleep on a sofa in squalid conditions, while his jumper smelled of urine and his school uniform reeked of cigarettes
Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC said: "Hakeem found himself powerless in a perfect storm where he had not been given his preventer medication. His lungs were in a poor condition and he was being put into adverse environments - cold, smoky and dirty environments.
"What chance did Hakeem have with his mother and her priorities? His death was avoidable. His death was a needless, premature death.
"Had it not been for her conduct Hakeem would still be alive. There can't be a greater breach of parental duty than that."
Hakeem was known to social services and was classed as "vulnerable" due to concerns about "neglect, attendance issues and his home life". A child protection meeting was held two days before his death where a school nurse had warned Hakeem was at risk of dying and should be removed from his mum.
But it was decided he should not be removed from his Heath’s care despite his being as a "serious risk of harm." Following the meeting Heath messaged a pal saying: “Hakeem is on child protection... neglect... hey ho... gonna do what I gotta do.”
Friends also told the court how they witnessed Heath smoking class A drugs while Hakeem was feeling ill in the next room - just 24 hours before he died. During the trial photos were shown to the jury outlining the two cramped houses where Heath and Hakeem stayed cluttered full of rubbish.
Heath and Hakeem had moved from a property on Long Acre to a house on Cook Street with them going back and forth between the two. Other images showed piles of bags and boxes piled inside a cot as well as other "unclean" rooms which were said to have "smelled of raw smoke."
The 999 call made by Heath after Hakeem was found was also played to the court during the trial. She said: "He’s dead... my son… he’s took himself outside when we’re asleep because he’s got asthma… and he’s fell asleep… he’s dead. He's gone... he's blue and he's stiff. There's no saving him. He's gone. He's my baby... he's my baby."
Giving evidence Dr Peter Ehrhardt, a former doctor of safeguarding in East Lancashire, said he was left "speechless" at the way Hakeem had been treated. The court was told Heath had smoked heroin and crack cocaine in the 48 hours before her son’s death and he also had tobacco in his lungs.
Dr Ehrhardt said: “In my opinion she knew the previous night that Hakeem's asthma was not under control. Had she acted then in my opinion his deterioration would have been less severe and he would not have died.
“It’s the failings in management of asthma that causes people to die. If managed appropriately, they would not die. In my opinion, this is the case for Hakeem.
"Hakeem’s asthma was entirely neglected, his mother ignored medical advice and whether he would require medical attention. It was uncontrolled as his mother did not attempt to control it."
Heath had told cops after her arrest that Hakeem would go outside for some fresh air if he was ever struggling with his breathing. She said in her police interview after his death: "I had a funny feeling he had gone out in the night and fell asleep outside."
Dr Roger Malcomson a consultant paediatric pathologist who conducted an autopsy on Hakeem in December 11, 2017 at Coventry Mortuary, told the court during trial: "Hakeem’s lungs were so hyperexpanded that the lungs overlapped the heart which is not normal. The lungs were in a different position compared to that of a normal person."
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