UK Woman convicted in 1978 death of her 5-year-old stepdaughter after cold case reopened
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A decades-old child death case was reopened after the victim’s brother told investigators the girl’s fatal burns were not accidental.your subheader copy
A woman in the United Kingdom has been convicted in a reopened 1978 child death cold case involving the death of her 5-year-old stepdaughter more than four decades ago.
According to reports from Gray Local Media, 67-year-old Janice Nix was found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the 1978 death of Andrea Bernard, who died weeks after suffering severe burns caused by scalding bathwater.
Nix was also convicted of assault and ill-treatment involving Andrea’s older brother, Desmond, during the years leading up to Andrea’s death.
At the time, Andrea’s death had been ruled accidental after a coroner determined she died from sepsis caused by burn injuries. However, the 1978 child death cold case was reopened in 2022 after Desmond, who was 8 years old when his sister died, came forward with new information for investigators.
Desmond told police he had falsely described the incident as an accident because he feared further abuse. According to investigators, he said Nix regularly abused both children and promised to stop hitting him if he stayed quiet about what happened.
Investigators reviewing the case recovered original coroner documents, medical records, and a prior statement from Nix that reportedly conflicted with details she later provided during the renewed investigation.
During trial proceedings, prosecutors argued the testimony supported claims that Andrea had been forcibly submerged.
Nix denied responsibility for Andrea’s death and denied allegations of abuse throughout the investigation and trial.