Rekha Kumari-Baker on Trial for Murder of Teen Daughters

September 14, 2009

One of the cases I covered for CourtTV in 2007 involved Rekha Kumari-Baker (photo here), a 39-year-old woman from the United Kingdom, who was arrested for allegedly stabbing her two teenage daughters to death as they slept. That case finally went to court earlier this month in Cambridge Crown Court. The jury is still hearing the evidence; however details that have since been released paint a very bleak picture of the events leading up to the girl's deaths.

On the morning of June 13, 2007, Kumari-Baker called a friend, Natalie Boyes-Bartlett - who also happens to be a police constable – and allegedly told her: "I've killed the kids. The children are dead."

Not long after the call, Boyes-Bartlett and a colleague, Sgt Jenny Johnstone, arrived at Kumari-Baker's three-bedroom home in Stretham. When they entered the home they discovered the bodies of 16-year-old Davina Michelle Baker and her sister, 13-year-old Jasmine, in an upstairs bedroom. Both of the girls had been stabbed repeatedly. Following the discovery of the bodies, police arrested Kumari-Baker on suspicion of murder. 

According to a 2007 online report by The Guardian, Detective Superintendent Jeff Hill described the murders as a "terrible, tragic situation," adding, "We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this inquiry."

Kumari-Baker and her husband, David Baker, had divorced in 2003. According to friends, Jasmine lived with her mother and Davina lived with her father.

In the wake of the girl's deaths, it was discovered that they had both created profiles on the social networking Web site Bebo.com. 

Using the screen name "lil-davvi" Davina wrote:

"My family means more than life its self to me, but I don't always show it … everything happens for a reason … Plenty of time to sleep when I die. Never look forward. Never look back. Have respect. Be a dreamer and believe. Jasmine is my number one."

On her own Bebo.com profile, Jasmine went by the screen name "THiis is Thee SHHIIZZLE du-de." She listed some of her likes as, "people, make-up, family, meeting people, being happy, child hood, imagination and life."

On June 10, 2007, Jasmine left the following unedited comment on Davina's Bebo.com profile:

"Missing youu. its soo gay. momz like why do i alwayz have to take you jasmine, why cant yur dad take you and all this bllaa bllaa bllaa. you know how it is. lovee you soo muchh and really want to see you.  Jaziixxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx w//b."

Davina then responded with her own comment to Jasmine's profile:

"u can cum dis weekend if mum will bring u or sumfin … see you soon.  i love you so much more that words can say."

Jasmine had left several other comments for her sister.  Many of them described her sadness regarding their separation—"I miss you soooooooooo muchhhhhh"—and in others she expressed her feelings: "I love you to so unbelivablyy much -- you know that."

She had also created a photo album on her profile, which included 26 photos of the two girls. One of the most touching is a photo of the girls holding hands, which they titled, "Will never let go."

So while it is obvious the girls had a solid relationship, what of their mother and what was the motive behind the murders? Those are two key questions that prosecutors have been addressing since the start of Kumari-Baker's trial.

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According to prosecutor John Farmer, a "significant measure of planning" went into the killings. In support of this theory, Farmer told the jury that Kumari-Baker had purchased the knives used in the killings two days prior to the murders. In describing the killings, Farmer said Kumari-Baker launched a "frenzied", attack on the girls while they slept – inflicting nearly 40 stab wounds on Davina alone.

"You may think it is a pretty atrocious thing to do to sneak up on someone asleep - particularly your daughter - and stab them. You have got to psych yourself up. Once you've started . . . She wasn't going to stop," Farmer told the jury.

In regard to a motive in the case, Farmer said that Kumari-Baker was unhappy over the custody arraignment she had with her ex-husband, disliked his new partner, Kadi Kone, and resented the close relationship he had with the girls. The murders were, according to Farmer, intended to "wreak havoc in [David Baker's] life."

In regard to a defense, Kumari-Baker's lawyers are arguing that she suffered from an abnormality of mind.

According to consultant psychiatrist Lyle Hamilton, the murders were not "coldly planned."

Citing an interview he had with Kumari-Baker in June 2008, Hamilton told jurors that she had been struggling with a number of personal issues in the months and weeks leading up to the murders.

"She had not been eating properly; she could not keep food down," Hamilton said, adding, "She was sleeping erratically, grabbing an hour here or there when she could. Otherwise she was just lying there feeling blank."

All of these things are, Hamilton said, indications of "psychological disorders in physical terms."

The trial continues today.

Photo Credit: Police File Photo

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Comments

[Jan S]

There seems to be a marked increase in crimes against children and animal abuse cases in the last 15 years. I wonder if that data is true or if the reporting of those cases have just reached the public's attention more. This type of case seems to be reported nationally in the USA at least once a week now.

[sammy]

davina was my friend and i miss her dearly. RIP babee give my love to your darlin sister

[Kgoober]

I am going crazy trying to figure out why more and more parents are killing or injuring their children. It absolutely sickens me that someone can be so selfish that they would take the life of a child.

[2 boys mom in NC]

What a horrible, sad story. What kind of atrocious animal could stab their own flesh and blood? I think it's a crime of it's own to keep these two sisters apart. They obviously loved each other very much. I'd like to think they are still holding hands as angels in the heavens.

[mwelch]

Im sitting here crying over the things Ive been reading where children, the most beautiful wonderful things in the world that should be loved and protected are being raped, abused and murdered by people close to them. We must do something about this! It is our responsibility to take care of them and not just sit back and read after its too late. There are some horrible monsters out there who dont deserve to be among us. Much less to be around our precious children.

[Tina Lindley]

I meet the girls and Rekha on hoilday that year, i spent quite alot of time with her as she was on her own and i had a daughter the same age as Jasmine. We went on shopping trips and did other things at the time i was very concern for her rage over her ex husband and spoke to me partner about it at the time, we put it down to the fact that she had clearly not got over the separtion. These girls where beauitful and i feel so sad as they had everything to live for. Rest in peace x x x

[mel]

the only consolation to such a reality,is the strong bond of love that these sisters have shown us,,that is all we should take from such a sad fact of society today.