A tragic incident occurred when two-year-old Mazeedat Adeoye drowned in a garden bin while her mother, Balikis Adeoye, was at the hospital with her baby son, who was undergoing heart surgery. Balikis, a Nigerian mother of two, spoke of the heartbreak following her daughter’s death and described Mazeedat as a “beautiful and happy” child.
During the inquest, Balikis revealed that she didn’t fully trust the people looking after her daughter when the tragedy unfolded on January 29, 2022. However, with her infant son’s health in jeopardy, she felt forced to leave Mazeedat in their care. The little girl was found hours later in a bin containing nine centimeters of water at a property in Dagenham.
Balikis shared that she had reached out to social services for help, but claimed no foster placement was arranged for Mazeedat, despite her requests. She had been living in temporary housing after arriving in the UK in March 2021, and was classified as an overstayer, limiting her access to public funds.
The inquest revealed that the failure to secure proper care for Mazeedat, along with inadequate supervision, led to her drowning. The coroner stated that the local authority’s failure to provide support likely contributed to the tragedy. A post-mortem confirmed the cause of death as drowning.
Balikis expressed her profound loss, saying, “Mazeedat was the best thing to happen to me. I’ll forever cherish the time we had together.” She hopes her story raises awareness to prevent similar tragedies.
Newham Council, deeply affected by the incident, acknowledged the tragedy and stated that their social work practices have since been overhauled, with improvements recognized by Ofsted. They emphasized their continued support for Mazeedat’s family.
