Woman Refutes Accusations of Fatally Poisoning 11-Year-Old While Attempting Bedbug Eradication

A 33-year-old woman, Jesmin Akter, has refuted accusations of causing the death of an 11-year-old girl while attempting to eradicate bedbugs from her residence.

On November 26, 2021, Akter allegedly spread aluminum phosphide in her Shadwell apartment in east London. The chemical, activated by moisture, purportedly produced the hazardous gas phosphine, which traveled to the apartment above, poisoning 11-year-old Fatiha Sabrin. Fatiha experienced cardiac arrest and succumbed shortly after in the hospital, told Mirror.

During a recent court appearance at the Old Bailey, Akter, wearing a headscarf and assisted by a Bengali translator, pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and importing a regulated substance—specifically, aluminum phosphide from Italy without a license.

At the plea hearing, Fatiha could not be identified due to legal constraints, but Judge Simon Mayo lifted the identity protection order today, citing its invalidity since it cannot apply when the child has passed away. The initial invalid order was issued at Thames Magistrates’ Court in August of the previous year. Judge Mayo expressed regret that the issue wasn’t addressed at that stage, emphasizing the importance of open justice and timely resolution of matters related to reporting restrictions.

Akter, who had evacuated the bedbug-infested building along with her family on the night in question, is currently on bail. Her three-week trial is scheduled for July 1, with an additional case management hearing on April 19. She maintains her denial of manslaughter and importation charges.