Mother of 7-year-old boy found dead outside in cold weather denies manslaughter

The boy died of an asthma attack in 2017.

The mother of a 7-year-old boy found dead outside his UK home in ice cold temperatures has pleaded not guilty to gross negligence manslaughter.

Laura Heath, 39, pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter and child cruelty charges over the death of her son, Hakeem Hussain, in Birmingham in 2017.

Hakeem was found dead outside his great-uncle’s house, where he had been living with his mum, in freezing November temperatures.

The boy had suffered a cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at the scene. His cause of death was confirmed to be an asthma attack.

Prosecutors claim Heath “failed to manage” her son’s asthma through twice-daily medication, and that she breached her duty of care by getting intoxicated with drugs.

Charges reportedly accuse her of “exposing him to known asthma triggers; smoke, dust and low temperature, and impairing [her] own ability, by smoking heroin and crack cocaine, and failing to seek medical help when his asthma symptoms were not under control.”

Heath pleaded not guilty to gross negligence manslaughter and four counts of child cruelty as she appeared in court via video call.

Her trial, which will take place before a High Court judge, is set for March 12, 2022.