Serious Case Review Into Toddler’s Death

Mother Kathryn Smith has been convicted of stamping her 21-month-old daughter Ayeeshia Jane Smith to death.

Rigby, 22, was unanimously convicted by a Birmingham Crown Court jury today in connection with Ayeeshia’s death at a flat where he lived with Smith.

Ayeeshia Jane Smith died at the family home in Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire in 2014.

The jury is deliberating on a charges against Smith of murder and whether she caused or allowed Ayeeshia’s death.

Andrew Stokes, interim chairman of Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Board, said: “The death of a child is a tragedy and I’d like to express my deepest sympathies to everyone who knew AJ”.

During testimony, Rigby pointed the finger of blame at Smith, telling jurors it “must have been” her, while she told jurors he had been the last person with Ayeeshia before the child collapsed.

Their next door neighbour Tracey Roberts heard a row in March 2014 and told of hearing the voice of an upset little girl who was saying “stop mummy, stop daddy”.

Ayeeshia’s case was discussed by care workers after the April 999 call, but they made a decision to provide domestic abuse support to Smith and monitor the situation.

History repeated itself with Rigby when she also refused to sign the same agreement.

In his evidence, Rigby – who the jury was told had two previous convictions for assault – admitted telling her in anger he would “blow the house up”, but denied he was prone to losing his temper.

He said he was outside tidying the garden while Smith was in the kitchen that afternoon.

Mrs Justice Geraldine Andrews said she would sentence Smith and Rigby on Monday.

A serious case review will examine “new information” which has emerged from the criminal trial.

A post-mortem revealed a total of 16 injuries on the toddler’s body, including three broken ribs, haemorrhaging to both lungs, a large bruise to her back and buttocks, bruising to her head, neck, left eyelid and left leg. “She’s gone, she’s gone”.