This week at Coventry Crown Court, Tai and Naiyahmi Yasharahyala were jailed for causing the death of their son, three-year-old Abiyah Yasharahyalah. 

Tai Yasharahyalah was jailed for 24-and-a-half years and Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah was given 19-and-a-half years.

The body of Abiyah was found buried in a garden in Handsworth in Birmingham in December 2022, ten months after his parents had been evicted from the property. Analysis of his skeleton showed that when he was alive he was severely malnourished and had rickets, anaemia as well as dental disease and was abnormally small with broken and deformed bones.

A trial at Coventry Crown Court heard that the Yasharahyalahs had been motivated by a belief system that included a restrictive vegan diet and a desire to avoid unwanted attention and had opted out of mainstream society. The prosecution stated that the pair were prepared to allow their child to “suffer the consequences” of these decisions.

During the trial it was heard that: “The pair did not call the emergency services after Abiyah died because strangers could scare off spirits. Instead, they lit a paraffin lamp in the room near him as a beacon, in case his spirit wished to return to his body.”

His parents kept the boy’s body in their bed for several days after his death in the hope he would be reincarnated following a burial ritual. They embalmed him with frankincense and myrrh before burying him in their garden without informing authorities. Tai Yasharahyalah said in his Igbo culture it was believed every person had a physical and spiritual form, the latter of which could be saved.

Mr Justice Wall said the couple cared more about their beliefs than the welfare of their child.

He said: “Your motivation for acting as you did was your prioritisation of your distorted system of beliefs over their welfare. You were prepared to live with any consequences which flowed from your adherence to these beliefs, including the disability or death of the children.”

Savera UK CEO and Founder, Afrah Qassim, said: “The facts of this case bear the hallmarks of spiritual abuse, which is a form of harmful practice.

“Spiritual abuse is a form of emotional and psychological abuse. It is characterised by a systematic pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour in a religious context, with components including the misuse or misinterpretation of doctrine or beliefs and exclusion and isolation, all of which are present in this extremely harrowing case. 

“Abiyah was an innocent child who had no way of seeking help. He was harmed by the people who should have protected him and sought help for him, regardless of their belief system.

“As a society we need to prioritise education and learning around how we recognise this risk of harm, and have the confidence to report it. Faith and spirituality when operating with a healthy culture provide a vital service to their communities, but if they are used to excuse harm caused to others, it is nothing but abuse and a violation of human rights.”

Image: West Midlands Police