A Melbourne mother who admitted to suffocating her baby girl and dumping her body in a creek has walked free on bail.

Little Sanaya Sahib was just 14 months old when she was killed.

On Friday - her 24th birthday - her mother Sofina Nikat pleaded guilty to infanticide.

View photos Sofina Nikat pleaded guilty to infanticide. Source: 7 News More

The court heard that Nikat was suffering post-natal depression when she took Sanaya to a Heidelberg park in 2016.

After playing with her for a while, she smothered Sanaya to death and left her face down in a creek.

She then told police a man of African appearance, who was barefoot and smelled of alcohol, had snatched her.

View photos Sofina took her child to the park and played with her before smothering her. Source: 7 News More

View photos Sanaya's mother told police an African man had snatched her child away. Source: 7 News More

As the horrifying details were read out, Sanaya's father cried.

"My life will never be the same," he said.

"I lost my daughter in such a horrific way. I imagine her in the back seat of my car, if she was with me she would be safe."

View photos

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