Pictured, girl of 11 ‘ killed by bedbug poison in her home’
A GIRL of 11 who died after a poisonous chemical allegedly used by a neighbour to tackle bedbugs drifted into her home has been named.
Fatiha Sabrin was poisoned when the resident is said to have scattered toxic chemical pellets around her flat in a bid to tackle an infestation.
Yesterday she was named for the first time after a judge lifted reporting restrictions in a victory for open justice. The ruling came after her alleged killer Jesmin Akter, 33, denied manslaughter and importing a regulated substance, aluminium phosphide, from Italy.
Experts believe moisture activated the dangerous gas phosphine from the pellets which travelled to the home above Akter’s flat in Shadwell, east London, poisoning the schoolgirl, who went into cardiac arrest.
She died shortly afterwards in hospital on December 11, 2021, just a day after her 11th birthday. Weeks after she passed away, it emerged that Fatiha’s autobiographical poem had been recognised by judges of a national writing competition.
Nishat Tasnim Disha, Fatiha’s mother’s cousin, said the girl had dreamed of becoming a doctor. She said: ‘Fatiha was such a brilliant and happy child, exceptionally kind and always curious to learn.
‘I don’t have words to say for such a tragic loss.’ When her alleged killer was charged, magistrates made an order preventing Fatiha’s name from being reported at Thames magistrates’ court last August.
Yesterday Judge Simon Mayo said the order under Section 45 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 was invalid as it cannot apply to children who have died.
He said: ‘ Open justice is a principle of fundamental
‘A brilliant and happy child’
importance – it really does lie close to the heart and functioning of these courts and thus a democratic society and should be treated appropriately.’
Last week Akter denied manslaughter and importing a regulated substance without a licence on November 26, 2021.
She remains on bail ahead of a three-week trial on July 1.