Parents who buried son in Birmingham garden after 'breathtaking cruelty' to learn fate

A heartless couple who buried their three-year-old son's body in their back garden after subjecting him to "breathtaking cruelty" are set to be sentenced today. Tai and Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah caused the death of little Abiyah Yasharahyalah by denying him adequate food, a court was told.

The young boy died in early 2020 from a respiratory illness, with severe malnourishment contributing significantly to his death, leading to rickets, anaemia, and stunted growth.

The callous parents, who imposed an "extreme" vegan diet on him, were convicted last week of causing or allowing the death of a child. Throughout the two-month trial at Coventry Crown Court, evidence suggested that Abiyah likely suffered from severe dental decay and had six fractures to his right arm, legs, and ribs, which may have been caused by a fall approximately six weeks before his death.

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Although the post-mortem examination on the "skeletal" remains of the youngster could not conclusively determine how he died, the jury agreed with the prosecution's case that Abiyah was mistreated through inadequate nutrition and medical care.

The Yasharahyalahs now face substantial prison terms as they return to Coventry Crown Court for sentencing. Bail, which was previously granted to both during the trial, was revoked following their convictions.

In his final address to the jury, prosecutor Jonas Hankin KC argued that it would have been evident to both defendants that Abiyah was experiencing significant pain from abscesses and other health issues, given his likely wobbly teeth.

Barrister Mr Hankin relayed the chilling viewpoint of Abiyah's mother when she remarked "nature has a way of doing things", telling the court: "That is their attitude, 'we're right and nature will decide'. It is breathtaking arrogance and cruelty."

Highlighting that the level of malnutrition suffered by little Abiyah was rarely seen in the UK, he informed the jurors that the two defendants, for motives known only to themselves, led themselves and their young son into an existence reminiscent of conditions in the developing world. Tai, born in London and also known as Tai-Zamarai, together with his wife Naiyahmi, both turned their backs on conventional society, leaving Abiyah's remains at their Handsworth property when they were evicted in March 2022.

The former fitness instructor, aged 42, and ex-shop worker were finally caught in December 2022, while residing in a caravan near Glastonbury, Somerset; previously, they had lived in a shipping container. Astonishingly, both were convicted by a jury which learnt of their disturbing actions: keeping Abiyah's corpse in their bed for eight days, subsequently embalming it, then burying the toddler in a shallow grave behind their house.

During the trial, it emerged that officers visited the property on three pivotal occasions: first in February 2018, when the boy was alive, next in September 2021 posthumously, and lastly, in March 2022 to aid in eviction due to unpaid rent.

The court heard a harrowing case where a couple, who had renounced British citizenship for an "off-grid" lifestyle, attempted to treat their son's severe illness with home remedies like garlic and ginger. Arrested on December 9, 2022, both parents were described as "extremely thin" and were charged following the discovery of their son's body five days later.

The mother and her husband denied the allegations, insisting they believed their child would recover from what seemed to be a flu-like condition. The father, Tai, explained to West Midlands Police that he conducted an "eight-day ritual" in hopes his son Abiyah would "come back" and later performed a burial based on his cultural beliefs.

The pair claimed to live in a self-declared "kingdom" with a strict vegan diet and their own set of laws, having married in 2015 and adopted new names as part of their unique religious views.