Stepmum jailed for 1978 killing of girl, 5

Stepmum jailed for 1978 killing of girl, 5 Just now Share Save Add as preferred on Google Metropolitan police Janice Nix was found guilty of Andrea Bernard's manslaughter and cruelty towards her brother Desmond Bernard A woman who killed her five-year-old stepdaughter by scalding her in a bath in 1978 has been jailed for 12 years. Janice Nix, 67, punished Andrea Bernard by forcing her into the piping hot water in Thornton Heath, south London, nearly 50 years ago. Andrea suffered severe burns to half her body and died in hospital on 13 July 1978, five weeks later. The jury heard her death had been treated as an accident until Andrea's older brother, Desmond Bernard, went to police in 2022. Nix was found guilty of Andrea's manslaughter. Sentencing her at Isleworth Crown Court, Judge Justice Lavender said: "I'm sure that you ran the bath, you knew how hot it was... You heard her screams." "At the very least the risk ought to have been obvious to you," the judge added. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook , X and Instagram . Send your story ideas to [email protected] London