Mother who downed vodka as her baby died is guilty of child cruelty

By ROBERT FOLKER, NEWS REPORTER Published: 16:06 BST, 18 September 2025 | Updated: 16:25 BST, 18 September 2025

A mother who was partying with a friend while her baby girl died at home has been found guilty of child cruelty.Natasha Birks, from Stoke-on-Trent, failed to raise the alarm until it was too late, as her five-month-old daughter died while she was drinking with her friend.Birks had sole responsibility for Rhian Mahoney when she placed her on a settee before cracking open a bottle of vodka.The 37-year-old failed to properly check on Rhian and did not notice her daughter had failed to wake for her feed in the middle of the night, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard.Birks and her friend consumed large quantities of vodka mixed with orange juice and Irish cream liqueur in a separate room from where Rhian slept.She also ate nothing to counteract the alcohol's effects and left the house several times to smoke cigarettes on the night of November 1, 2021.As the Birks celebrated on the eve of her friend's birthday, she only briefly observed her daughter from a dining room doorway rather than conducting proper checks. When Rhian did not wake for her usual feed between 4.30am and 6.30am, Birks failed to notice this deviation from routine. Natasha Birks, 37, from Stoke-on-Trent, failed to raise the alarm until it was too late, as her five-month-old daughter died while she was drinking with her friend. Pictured: Stoke-on-Trent Crown CourtBetween 6am and 9am, Birks was then unable to recognise her daughter's deterioration in health. The baby girl had already died by the time paramedics were alerted. Birks has now been convicted of child cruelty and is due to be sentenced in December. Elaine Radway, from the Crown Prsosecution Service, said: 'Natasha Birks chose to drink heavily while responsible for her five-month-old baby who was entirely dependent on her. 'Although she did not cause her child's death or foresee this devastating outcome, her level of intoxication meant she could not provide the supervision Rhian needed.'The law holds parents accountable for the safety and wellbeing of their children, and as we have seen in this case, there are serious consequences when parents fail in their fundamental duty to protect vulnerable children. 'Our thoughts remain with all those affected.'