Sofina Nikat pleads guilty to infanticide of Melbourne

A mother has pleaded guilty to killing her baby daughter and dumping her body in a Melbourne creek because she thought the girl was possessed.

Sofina Nikat, 24, on Friday pleaded guilty to infanticide over the death of her 15-month-old daughter Sanaya Sahib. 

Nikat had initially told police her child had been kidnapped by a African man who smelled heavily of alcohol, but later said she had made up the story ‘because she was scared’, court documents claim.

Sofina Nikat, (left) has pleaded guilty to killing her 14-month-old daughter Sanaya Sahib (right) and dumping her body in a Melbourne creek

CCTV footage showed Ms Nikat pushing a pram toward Darebin Creek in Melbourne, moments before she allegedly covered the girl's nose and mouth until she stopped moving

CCTV footage showed Ms Nikat pushing a pram toward Darebin Creek in Melbourne, moments before she allegedly covered the girl’s nose and mouth until she stopped moving

Nikat (pictured leaving court with supporters during an earlier hearing) was initially charged with murder, but prosecutors agreed to drop the charge 

Nikat (pictured leaving court with supporters during an earlier hearing) was initially charged with murder, but prosecutors agreed to drop the charge 

Prosecutor Kerri Judd QC told the Victorian Supreme Court that Nikat had taken the toddler to a Heidelberg West park on April 9, 2016. 

She was allegedly seen on CCTV pushing the toddler to the park in a pram.

She then allegedly played with the girl before covering her nose and mouth until she stopped moving.  

‘Things got way out of hand on that day, and she couldn’t cope,’ a summary of her police interview tendered to court in an earlier hearing said.

Ms Nikat told police she put her hand across Sanaya’s mouth and nose and hugged her tight until she couldn’t feel her daughter moving.

She then allegedly walked down to the creek bed and dropped her daughter’s limp body in Darebin Creek near scrubland.

Ms Nikat told police she had been advised by a priest that she and her baby were possessed and had negative energy

Ms Nikat told police she had been advised by a priest that she and her baby were possessed and had negative energy

The mother allegedly walked down to the creek bed and dropped her daughter's limp body in Darebin Creek near scrubland (Pictured: police recovering the body of Sanaya in the creek)

The mother allegedly walked down to the creek bed and dropped her daughter’s limp body in Darebin Creek near scrubland (Pictured: police recovering the body of Sanaya in the creek)

Sameer Sahib, father of Sanaya Sahib (left) and Sheraz Sahib (grandfather) carry the coffin of 14 month old Sanaya Sahib from her funeral at Dandenong South's Bunurong Memorial Park

Sameer Sahib, father of Sanaya Sahib (left) and Sheraz Sahib (grandfather) carry the coffin of 14 month old Sanaya Sahib from her funeral at Dandenong South’s Bunurong Memorial Park

In the days before the incident, Sanaya had suffered a seizure and had been frothing at the mouth.

Ms Nikat also told police her baby would ‘look at the roof and cry and growl’, and she had been advised by a priest that she and her baby were possessed and had negative energy.

She told police she had ‘no other choice as things were getting worse’ and she couldn’t cope. 

A report from consultant psychiatrist Yvonne Skinner found Ms Nikat was not of sound mind during the time her baby died, because she had ‘not fully recovered from giving birth’.

‘The balance of mind of Sofina Nikat was disturbed,’ Dr Skinner wrote in the report. 

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au. 

 Ms Nikat also told police her baby would 'look at the roof and cry and growl', and she had been advised by a priest that she and her baby were possessed and had negative energy

In the days before the incident, Sanaya had suffered a seizure and had been frothing at the mouth 

Mourners embrace during the funeral for 14 month old Sanaya Sahib

Mourners embrace during the funeral for 14 month old Sanaya Sahib

 

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