A court in Zabbar, Malta found the parents of seven-year-old Victoria guilty of her death by negligence. The court also determined that the system had failed the child by not issuing a care order for Victoria and her siblings. The care order would have removed the children from their residences and placed them in the custody of welfare services.

According to a report by the Times of Malta, the family was living in a home furnished by the Dominican nuns but was not supported by a church or religious order.

Victoria died in January 2018. The cause of death was listed as a rare disease. It was later found to be aplastic anemia. Her siblings were then removed from their residence and put under a protective care order.

Persons familiar with the Aluko family’s situation and were interviewed at the time questioned why the children were not put under protective custody when there was evidence of mental health issues. The children were not attending school. They had been kept home, mostly indoors, for over two years.

 The concerned individuals reported systematic failures that, although they were flagged, still slipped under the radar, as happened with Victoria’s tragic death.

Victoria’s father was the only person in the family with residence status. He was noticeably obsessed with the status of the other family members despite assurances by social workers and officials that they all were given the same rights. Yet, her father made it known that he believed his wife and children had no rights in Malta.

It was perhaps for this reason the children were hidden at home and not sent to school. From the time the family arrived in Zabbar, they were observed by social workers from the Emigrants Commission.

When it became evident that the children were being kept from attending school, the family was followed by various officials and social workers. The parents continued to keep the children at home, mostly indoors, for over two years.

 Yet the court emphasized its concern that it was not until Victoria’s death that a care order was finally issued for her siblings.

In addition to a magisterial inquiry, an independent investigation was opened about the child’s death. Eventually, the parents were charged with causing her death by way of carelessness and non-observance of regulations.

The court added that the government authorities did not attend to the case in a timely manner or assign the urgency it required after a serious need was discussed in 2017.

At that time, a doctor called for Victoria and her siblings to be examined at the hospital in Mater Dei. There was no follow-up, and the examinations never took place.

To complicate matters, at the time of Victoria’s death, the social workers went on strike. Therefore, they did not use typical methods of communication nor hold meetings to discuss cases.

The court found that even though the system did not support Victoria, the immediate responsibility for her care was in the hands of her parents as they were both entrusted with her care.

The court observed how Victoria’s parents did not ask for medical help even though she showed signs of illness weeks before she died.

It also acknowledged that it could not say with certainty that the available medical treatments would have saved Victoria. Though it can say with certainty that neglecting her symptoms made her death almost inevitable.

The Final Court Decision

Sunday Aluko Olunuywa and his wife Rashida Aluko were given a two-year jail sentence with an added suspension of four years. They will also have to pay court expenses amounting to €3,000.