Chadwell Heath ‘murder’: Jury begin deliberations over death of Ayesha Ali
Eight-year-old Ayesha Ali was found dead at her home in Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, in August 2013 - Credit: Archant
A jury has retired to begin deliberations over the alleged murder of an eight-year-old girl in Chadwell Heath.
Polly Chowdhury, 35, and Kiki Muddar, 43, stand accused of killing Chowdhury’s daughter Ayesha Ali in their Broomfield Road home 18 months ago.
Both have denied the charges of murder, manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child. Ayesha was found dead in her bedroom on August 29, 2013.
Chowdhury was subject to “brainwashing and control” by Muddar, of Green Lane, the Old Bailey heard on Monday.
But although Muddar created manipulative alter egos using social media she was not delusional and understood her actions, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said.
In his closing speech, he added: “However immoral, abhorrent and illegal her judgement, it was rational. She hated the girl getting between her and Polly.
“Bearing in mind the nature of the offence and this fictional world on Facebook, there is no question of either defendant having been mad. In other words, when discussing a case like this and how awful it must be, there is no question of saying they must have been mad.”
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Both women blamed each other over the girl’s death, which happened with a “background of prolonged abuse – some might even consider it torture”, the court heard. They hit Ayesha with a wooden spoon and, on the day she died, she was given a cold bath as a punishment for wetting herself.
Check back at bdpost.co.uk throughout the week for the latest on the trial.
Additional reporting by Press Association
