Baby Girl Allegedly Thrown from Window Suffered Fatal Head Injury, Court Hears
An 18-day-old baby girl suffered a fatal head injury when she was allegedly thrown out of a window by her mother, a court has heard in a tragic case that has shocked the community. Baby Mariam plunged 10 metres from her family's third-floor flat in Westminster, central London, on Saturday morning, leading to her death shortly after.
Details of the Incident
Emergency services arrived within minutes of a 999 call made by Mariam's husband at 7.30am, finding the infant lying on a concrete surface between the block of flats on Great Peter Street and a high metal railing. Mariam was rushed to hospital in a critical condition but died at 9am, having sustained a skull fracture, according to prosecutor Philip McGhee.
Police entered the flat and discovered the mother, Zahira Byjaouane, sitting on a bed. The 43-year-old was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and later charged with murder the following day. Mariam's father was present in the flat at the time but was reportedly in the kitchen preparing baby formula when the defendant allegedly threw the newborn from a sash window.
Court Proceedings and Future Hearings
Zahira Byjaouane was due to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday charged with her daughter's murder but was unable to attend the hearing. Judge Mark Lucraft KC set a timetable for the case, scheduling a plea hearing for 3 June and a provisional 10-day trial starting from 15 February 2027. The judge remanded the defendant into custody as the legal process moves forward.
Mr. McGhee noted that the husband ran outside immediately after the incident but was unable to reach his child, prompting him to return inside and call emergency services. The case continues to unfold, with authorities investigating the circumstances surrounding this devastating event.
