A 24-year-old mother has been sentenced to nine years and six months in prison for shaking her three-month-old daughter to death in a tragic case that has shocked the UK.

Nazli Merthoca, who had a troubled past and was in a mutually abusive relationship with the child’s father, Herbert Kalanzi, was found guilty of manslaughter after her daughter Kaylani Kalanzi died in hospital on July 23, 2024.

The court heard that Kaylani had been on a child protection plan due to concerns about her safety, and that social services had been working with the family to support them.

However, on July 8, 2024, Merthoca lost her temper with the baby, who had been born prematurely and was still fragile, and shook her violently, causing catastrophic brain injuries, a broken leg, and ribs.

Merthoca failed to inform paramedics about the shaking, and instead claimed she was being blamed for the baby’s injuries because of her “race and gender”.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC, sentencing Merthoca, said the death of Kaylani was a “loss of a precious life” and that Merthoca would have to live with the knowledge that she had killed her daughter.

Kalanzi, who had been accused of causing or allowing Kaylani’s death, was cleared by jurors.

The case has raised concerns about the support provided to vulnerable families and the need for greater protection for children at risk.