Janice Nix, a 66-year-old stepmother, has appeared in court denying the manslaughter of a five-year-old girl who died after being scalded in a hot bath in 1978. The case, which dates back decades, is being heard at Isleworth Crown Court.
Background of the Case
Andrea, the victim, was initially believed to have died accidentally after being submerged in a scalding bath. However, her brother, Desmond Bernard, came forward in 2022 with new information, claiming the incident was no accident. Nix, of Rodenhurst Road, Clapham, south London, has also rejected charges of cruelty towards Mr Bernard between October 1, 1975, and June 6, 1978, when he was aged seven to nine.
Prosecution's Claims
Prosecutor Kerry Broome told the court that Mr Bernard informed police that Nix's behavior towards him "was not as it seemed at the time" and that Andrea's submersion in the bath was not accidental. The prosecution alleges that Nix's conduct represented "serious, violent, cruel, degrading and unacceptable forms of punishment – even by those standards of the late 1970s".
Nix was romantically involved with the children's father, also named Desmond Bernard, and effectively acted as their stepmother. At the time, known as Janice Thomas and in her late teens, she bore primary responsibility for their care as their father was frequently absent working as a chauffeur.
Allegations of Abuse
Mr Bernard told police that he and Andrea were discourteous to Nix during their first meeting, which Broome suggested might be understandable given their young age and recent parental separation. Their father reprimanded them, but the following day, it is claimed, Nix brutally assaulted them both while their father was at work.
"This was the start of a cycle of violence, which left the children in extreme fear and terror of Janice," Broome said. She added that Nix would wait until the father was away and then punish the children, often using a belt to beat them on the arms and legs at least once or twice a week.
Mr Bernard also alleged that Nix forced the children to take cold baths as punishment, which the prosecution argues is significant as it shows Nix used baths at abnormal temperatures to discipline them. Other alleged incidents include hitting the boy on the arm with a pot, making him eat cat food from a dirty bowl, burning his hand with a cigarette, and biting his hand for eating chocolate from the fridge.
Defense and Trial
Broome informed the jury that Mr Bernard said Andrea received regular beatings but that he "got the worst of it." Nix's mother reportedly advised her to "stop beating the children so much." It is undisputed that Andrea died in hospital on July 13, 1978, due to complications from burn injuries.
Nix, with silver hair, appeared in court dressed in a blue jacket and trousers, a beige blouse, and spectacles. The trial continues.
