Mother Of Murdered Daughter Tried To Sell Child For Money, Planned To Buy Marijuana

Shocking details regarding the mother of a murdered 21 month old girl were revealed after she received a conviction on April 8. Kathryn Smith, of Burton-Upon-Trent, Staffordshire, was not only convicted of murdering her young daughter, Ayeeshia Smith, but former friends revealed that Kathryn put her drug abuse before being a mother, even offering to sell Ayeeshia for some money to buy marijuana. The murder occurred in 2014, and has just recently come to conclusion, finally giving closure to her innocent daughter’s death.

Kathryn referred to Ayeeshia as her little “brat” on many occasions, an endearing term that many parents label their children when they become rambunctious. However, Kathryn often did so when Ayeeshia was left crying in her bedroom, ignoring her pleas for attention or need. According to Metro, just prior to Ayeeshia’s death, she could be heard pleading for her own life, at only 21 months old.

“[S]top mummy, stop daddy.”

Ayeeshia’s injuries were severe — the beating left her body so mangled it appeared she was in a car crash. Previously, Matthew Rigby, Kathryn’s partner, was found guilty of allowing the child’s death, but was not charged with Ayeeshia’s murder. Friday, 23-year-old Kathryn Smith was found guilty of her daughter’s murder.

A friend of Kathryn appeared in court, revealing that she often lied about her love for her daughter while in court, attempting to portray herself as a loving mother. According to the call to police, Kathryn attempted to convince the authorities that Ayeeshia was a victim of a seizure. The condition of the child’s body told otherwise.

The death occurred just a short time after social services visited the house after Ayeeshia’s biological father reported Kathryn for abuse, after noticing mysterious bruises and scratches on his daughter. Although the social services representatives investigated what they believed to be a clean and orderly house, they did discover signs of drug abuse in the home, but failed to remove the child from the house. A neighbor was horrified that social services would allow Ayeeshia to stay with her mother, leading to the eventual murder.

“It’s disgusting to think social services gave her back to her mum.”

The former friend, according to the Daily Mail, that spoke during the court hearing revealed that Kathryn would often get stoned and neglect Ayeeshia for extended periods of time, treating her daughter as an “inconvenience” and showed the poor child no love at all.

“She used to get stoned around her and didn’t check on her when she was crying at night.”

The former friend also revealed that Kathryn offered to sell Ayeeshia for money to buy marijuana at one time, as though it was acceptable during a casual conversation.

“One time she said to me, ‘Do you want to buy her? I could do with some cash for weed.’ What parent says that about their child?”

The tragic story has sent shock through the United Kingdom, leaving some wondering if the social services system needs an overhaul or a review, and whether its effectiveness should be scrutinized from a higher level. Ayeeshia’s murder was preventable. Her biological father saw the signs of abuse and reported them as required, yet he was not offered the opportunity to take her into his home on a permanent basis where she would be cared for properly.

Both Kathryn and her partner, Matthew, are expected to be sentenced tomorrow in court. It is unknown what their sentence will be, but it is expected that Kathryn will receive a substantial amount of time behind bars.

Although Ayeeshia’s death is tragic, it is hopeful that her story will bring awareness to the issue.

[Image via Igor Kovalchuk/Shutterstock]