Caregiver (Clara Yanyi-Ampah)Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Baby’s Death

October 9, 2022

3 minutes read

Clara Yanyi-Ampah

Clara Yanyi-Ampah, a 56-year-old professional nurse who worked as a caregiver at Happy Bloomers School in Agbogba, has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of an 11-month-old baby.

Yanyi-Ampah entered into plea negotiations with the Attorney-General’s office, agreeing to a manslaughter charge. The prosecution and defense recommended a five-year sentence, which the court accepted.

During the sentencing, the court, presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons, confirmed the agreement with both the prosecution and defense attorneys present. Yanyi-Ampah had originally pleaded not guilty but changed her plea after the discussions.

In her ruling, Justice Simmons stated, “Based on the guilty plea for manslaughter, the accused is convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.” The judge noted that Yanyi-Ampah had spent eight months in custody before being granted bail and acknowledged the benefits of the plea deal, which simplified the trial process.

The court found that while the accused had no prior criminal record and appeared remorseful, her neglectful actions were serious. It was determined that she had shown a reckless disregard for the baby’s life, leading to the sentence.

Background of the Case

The case involved the parents of the baby, Randy and Patricia Ackah-Mensah, who enrolled their daughter, Allegra Camille Yaba Ackah-Mensah, at Happy Bloomers School on April 6. On May 18, 2021, Allegra, who was in good health, attended school.

At around 2:50 PM, a teacher named Madam Gladys Osei noticed that Allegra was unresponsive while Yanyi-Ampah was changing her clothes. When asked if the baby was asleep, Yanyi-Ampah said no. Gladys quickly alerted the school administrator, who took Allegra to North Legon Hospital.

Randy, Allegra’s father, received a call about his daughter’s condition and rushed to the hospital with his wife. Unfortunately, medical staff found that Allegra had no heartbeat or pulse, and attempts to revive her were unsuccessful. She was pronounced clinically dead.

Before the incident, Yanyi-Ampah had fed Allegra, and CCTV footage later revealed that she had used a cup to force-feed the baby, which went against the school’s policy of feeding toddlers with spoons. The school confirmed that the cup used belonged to Yanyi-Ampah.

A post-mortem report showed that Allegra’s trachea and lungs were filled with food particles. The pathologist determined that her cause of death was asphyxiation due to forced feeding.

Yanyi-Ampah was charged with manslaughter under the Criminal Offences Act and brought before the High Court in Accra for trial.

Share:
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Related Links

Dangote Refinery Petrol Price Drop Sparks Hope for Cheaper Fuel Nationwide

Nigerians may soon enjoy relief at fuel stations as the Dangote refinery petrol price drop ...

Former Boko Haram Members De-radicalised

Yobe State to Reintegrate 390 Ex-Boko Haram Members After De-Radicalisation Programme

The Yobe State Government has announced its readiness to reintegrate 390 former Boko Haram members ...

Muhammed Salah signs new contract

Mohamed Salah Extends Stay at Anfield

Mohamed Salah has signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool FC, extending his stay at ...

Bauchi State

Man Arrested for Sexual Assault of Minor Daughter in Bauchi

Police detain father accused of impregnating 17-year-old biological daughter. The Bauchi State Police Command has ...

Features

What Really Moves Bitcoin’s Price? A Comprehensive Guide to the Key Drivers of Volatility and Value

What Really Moves Bitcoin’s Price? A Comprehensive Guide to the Key Drivers of Volatility and Value

​Bitcoin, the pioneering cryptocurrency, has captivated the financial world with its innovative technology and notable ...

Guinea Sets September 2025 Date for Constitutional Referendum as Military Inches Toward Democratic Transition

Guinea Sets September 2025 Date for Constitutional Referendum as Military Inches Toward Democratic Transition

Guinea’s military-led government has officially announced that a national referendum on a new constitution will ...

Ivory Coast economic growth

Côte d’Ivoire’s Economic Boom Faces Political Test in 2025 Election

Ivory Coast’s Economic Success: A Model for West Africa Côte d’Ivoire has emerged as one ...

Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatley: The Trailblazing African American Poet Who Defied Oppression

Phillis Wheatley: A Pioneer in Black Literature and Poetry Phillis Wheatley was a groundbreaking poet ...

Women Participation in Politics

International Women’s Day 2025: Advancing Rights, Equality, and Leadership for African Women

The 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD) theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” ...

Bromate

Bromate Use in Bread: The Hidden Health Risks

Potassium bromate, a banned additive in bread production, poses serious health risks, including cancer. Learn ...
Wema Bank

Wema Bank targets fraudulent activities as it suspends seven fintech partners

Tackling Fraud in Nigeria’s Fintech Sector: Wema Bank’s Bold Steps Nigeria’s financial technology (fintech) sector ...

The Rise of West African Startups: A Tech Revolution

The rise of West African startups is transforming the region’s tech ecosystem, with fintech and ...

Latest News

Today in History

April 26th is the day in 1962 that NASA's Ranger 4 spacecraft crashes into the Moon.

Exchange Rate Per Dollar

AM Armenian Dram390.33
GH Ghana Cedi15.31
GM Gambian Dalasi72
GN Guinea Franc8,655
NG Nigerian Naira₦1,608.8
CF CFA Franc BEAC575.3399
26 Apr · CurrencyRate · USD
CurrencyRate.Today
Check: 26 Apr 2025 11:05 UTC
Latest change: 26 Apr 2025 11:00 UTC
API: CurrencyRate
Disclaimers. This plugin or website cannot guarantee the accuracy of the exchange rates displayed. You should confirm current rates before making any transactions that could be affected by changes in the exchange rates.
You can install this WP plugin on your website from the WordPress official website: Exchange Rates🚀

YOUR THOUGHTS

Let us know what you think

Contact the People’s Paper with feedback on stories and how we could make wapress.africa even better!

newsletter image

Stay up to date with the latest from West Africa Press

Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on WApress.

Subscribe Newsletter!

Be the first to receive our latest contents and more...

Need help?