In a heart-wrenching revelation, Nigerian mother-of-two, Balikis Adeoye, has bravely opened up about the devastating loss of her “beautiful and happy” two-year-old daughter, Mazeedat, who tragically drowned in a garden bin. Speaking at an inquest, Balikis explained the excruciating decision she had to make when she was forced to leave her beloved daughter with strangers, while she was at the hospital attending to her three-month-old baby undergoing heart surgery.
On January 29, 2022, hours after an alarm was raised, Mazeedat was found in a bin containing nine centimeters of water, a discovery that shattered the mother’s world. In her emotional testimony, Balikis revealed how she didn’t trust the people who were looking after her daughter but felt she had no other choice. She had been seeking help from social services at Newham Council but claimed that no one had offered a proper solution for her daughter’s care, despite her desperate pleas for a foster parent.
Recalling the joy her daughter brought her, Balikis shared, “Mazeedat was the most beautiful and happy little girl who brought sunshine to my life,” and despite her heartbreak, she vowed to cherish the precious years she had with her. The tragic event unfolded after Balikis, who had moved to the UK from Nigeria in March 2021, faced a series of challenges, including her baby son’s heart condition. She had hoped for a better future for her family, but Mazeedat’s untimely death has left a permanent void in her heart.
Balikis now hopes that by speaking out, other families in similar situations can avoid the pain she will live with forever.
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