Woman, 29, abandoned a toddler for six hours while she visited her boyfriend in Pentonville prison 

Woman, 29, abandoned a toddler for six hours while she visited her boyfriend in Pentonville prison

  • Ebtissam Yahya claimed she left the child alone for 15 minutes to get groceries
  • She admitted one count of child neglect at Westminster Magistrates’ Court 
  • Yahya will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 15

A woman abandoned a toddler while she visited her boyfriend in prison, a court has heard.

The toddler was found wandering around a communal area outside a block of flats by a housing officer on December 30 last year.

Ebtissam Yahya, 29, who was meant to be looking after the child, claimed she had gone out to a shop for 15 minutes.

However, Yahya had actually left the child alone for six hours while she visited her boyfriend in Pentonville prison.

Ebtissam Yahya, 29, (pictured) one count of child neglect at Westminster Magistrates’ Court today after she abandoned a toddler for six hours while visiting her boyfriend at Pentonville prison

Yahya, dressed all in black, admitted one count of child neglect at Westminster Magistrates’ Court earlier today.       

Arif Ahmed, prosecuting, said that the housing officer had been with the child for 10 minutes before taking a further 15 minutes to contact Yahya.

Ahmed said: ‘A housing officer had contacted social services as he found the child wandering around in the communal area of the flats. 

‘The defendant stated she decided to go to the shops to prepare for a gathering she was having later that day.

‘She said the child was asleep and when she was out she received a call to say the child had been found in the communal area.

Yahya claimed to have left the child alone for 15 minutes while she shopped for groceries but she had actually been visiting her partner in Pentonville prison (pictured, file image)

Yahya claimed to have left the child alone for 15 minutes while she shopped for groceries but she had actually been visiting her partner in Pentonville prison (pictured, file image)

‘She said the child was only unattended for 15 minutes. She said when she got back the child was with the housing staff.

‘She said it had been a big wake up call.

‘CCTV was obtained from the block of flats that showed that for a period of six hours the defendant had not been in the premises.’

Theo Bunce, defending, said: ‘This is totally out of character. It is essentially an error of judgement.’

Yahya was granted unconditional bail and will be sentenced at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 15. 

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