Stratford bus baby death: Mum 'forced' to carry dead baby Published duration 31 March 2017

image copyright Julia Quenzler image caption The couple deny murder and causing or allowing the death of their child

A young mother was forced to take her dead child on a bus so her abusive boyfriend could frame her for killing her own baby, a jury has heard.

Rosalin Baker, 25, told the Old Bailey Jeffrey Wiltshire threatened her with a knife after she found their daughter Imani "cold" and "still" in their bed.

She said the 52-year-old then instructed her to take the child from their Newham flat to her sister's home.

The pair deny murder and causing or allowing the death of their child.

Ms Baker told the jury she "started screaming" when she found the 16-week-old "cold" and "still", and with "a big black eye" in their bed on 28 September last year.

"The first thing I thought was he's done something to her... I thought she was dead," she said.

'In a lot of shock'

Ms Baker told the jury she "went to call an ambulance and the police" but her boyfriend "snatched the phone out of my hand".

"He said I've got to do what he says or he will hurt me or my family," and instructed her to take the child to her sister's house in Stratford, or to her mother's in Colchester, the court heard.

She said he then "pushed me on the bed and said 'it's all your fault. I told you to give her up for adoption'".

The court heard Mr Wiltshire kissed Ms Baker as she boarded the bus to Stratford, which she said she did not want nor expect.

She told the jury she then began to realise that "he tried to frame me for killing my own baby" as the journey progressed.

She said she was "in a lot of shock" and felt "devastated" as she feared people would "think it's me".

The trial continues.