An Aberdeen woman has been placed under supervision after being found guilty of two counts of neglecting children.
One of the children tragically died aged just three months, however, Jade Martin is not being held responsible for her death.
Instead, she admitted to wilfully neglecting the infant in the 12 weeks leading up to her death.
Martin, 35, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and faced a second charge of neglect involving a toddler in her care. She admitted the offence and was placed under supervision for two years.
Tragedy of baby’s death
Martin’s daughter was just three months old when she died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome on March 2, 2023.
Fiscal depute Calum Gordon told the court that Martin had placed the child on a bed and had lain down next to her to sleep at around 1pm.
He said: “[Martin] awoke at around 4pm and found her daughter to be unresponsive.
“Parties were taken to the hospital where the baby later passed away.
“Toxicology reports were produced which showed trace samples of cocaine in [the baby’s] system.”
Unexplained
The court was not told how the traces of cocaine had come to be in the baby’s system.
Martin admitted wilful neglect of her baby and the toddler, failing to adequately supervise them, and consuming alcohol and drugs in their presence – sometimes to the point where she was unconscious and incapable of looking after either child.
The court was told Martin has a lengthy previous record including convictions for violence with weapons, disorder, dishonesty, possession of drugs and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Social care involvement
Mr Gordon said health and social workers had been regularly involved with Martin and had visited her just days before her daughter died.
He said: “A health visitor conducted a routine visit to the accused’s home and found [the baby] to safe and well and noted to be making efforts to roll over.”
Speaking in her defence, solicitor Alex Burn said Martin did not have an easy life growing up and “fell into bad company”, adding: “She left home aged 16 and began living independently – albeit sofa-surfing with undesirable individuals.
“For a brief period, she returned to live with her mother – who is a normal working-class woman with no convictions.”
Mr Burn described Martin as dipping in and out of the drug scene until the tragic events of 2023 and the death of her daughter, stating she was now on prescription drugs only for her mental health.
Martin not responsible for baby’s death
Sheriff Craig Findlater referred to the tragic death of Martin’s daughter and reiterated that she was not being held responsible for it.
He said she had a “lengthy and complicated” background and had struggled with an upbringing which included abusive behaviour and alcohol use.
He said: “Tragically, your daughter passed away, but you are not responsible for her death.
“I am not sentencing you anything for her passing – you have suffered tremendously.”
Sentencing
Martin sobbed in the dock as Sheriff Findlater said he would not impose a custodial sentence, but place her under a supervision order.
He told her: “That order will reinforce the positive steps you have already taken and put you in a better position from not offending in the future.”
Martin was placed under supervision for two years and under an electronic tag for seven months with a curfew that she remain at her Arbroath Way home address between 7pm and 7am daily.
Speaking to reporters, Martin wished to make it clear that she was in no way being held responsible for her daughter’s death and said: “Make sure you write that down.”