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Mother Jailed For Daughter's Scalding Death

The mother of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl who died of septic shock brought on by untreated burns has been jailed after being found guilty of manslaughter and child cruelty.

Eva Logina, 26, assaulted and bullied her daughter Kristiana throughout her short life before scalding her in the shower at home in Birmingham last February.

Neither she, nor her then partner, magistrate Rashpal Chana, 49, sought medical attention for at least 10 days until the toddler's infected wounds led to her death.

By the time paramedics were finally called, Kristiana had suffered organ failure and was in cardiac arrest.

At Nottingham Crown Court Logina was sentenced to six years in jail and Chana to four-and-a-half years for what the judge said was gross negligence by omission, leaving Kristiana to die in "serious pain and discomfort".

As a baby, Kristiana was put up for adoption by her mother shortly after she arrived in the UK from her native Latvia.

The jury heard the little girl was normal and happy while in temporary foster care, but she became "sullen, sad and depressed" after Logina changed her mind and the child was returned to her.

Logina, who suffered from long-term depression and had attempted suicide, moved in with Chana in what the court heard was a relationship of convenience with very little affection.

In February 2010, Kristiana suffered burns to at least 20% of her lower body after being scalded in the shower, but was treated at home by her mother who put creams and bandages on her injuries.

It was said she feared that Kristiana and her brother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, would be taken into care if the extent of the little girl's injuries was revealed.

The judge said it was Logina's selfishness that led to Kristiana's death, and told Chana he owed a duty of care to the toddler and was guilty of a "gross aberration" from his otherwise respectable life.