Yasmin Ali given indefinite hospital order for killing three children

Yasmin Ali, 44, has been given an indefinite hospital order after pleading guilty to the diminished responsibility manslaughter of her three children at the family home in Sea Mills, Bristol.

The bodies of seven-year-old Fares Bash, three-year-old Joury Bash and nine-month-old Mohammed Bash were found at the house on 18 February 2024. Police had been called after Ali's neighbour raised concerns. Officers found the children on a bed. All three had fatal stab wounds. Ali had self-inflicted wounds to her neck and stomach and was taken to hospital.

Bristol Crown Court heard that Ali was suffering acute psychosis at the time. It also heard she had a serious undiagnosed mental health illness. Less than two weeks before the killings she had an episode in which she thought Tesco vans were spying on her and that there were cameras in her tumble dryer. Mental health teams and police were involved, but she did not receive a full mental health assessment and no mental health bed was available. She was discharged by the team. She has since been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder.

The court heard that Ali had wanted to leave her husband because he had been abusive, and was worried about the family's finances. Her mental health deteriorated and social services became involved. She was under the care of a local mental health team but was not offered an acute ward bed. Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership has apologised for failings in her care. A safeguarding review is due to be published in the next few weeks.

On the evening of 18 February 2024, Ali called a neighbour and asked for a taxi. The neighbour said she sounded out of breath and was later muttering in Arabic, so called the police. Ali later told a nurse that she had received a message to kill her children at midnight and a second message asking if it was done.

The children's father, Mr Bash, was in custody at the time on domestic abuse charges and was in court for the sentencing. A statement read on his behalf said the children had been taken from him in a way he could not imagine. He said they were the reason he woke up every day and were innocent, precious and lovely.

The judge said the case was a tragedy from which both parents would never recover and would cause them unimaginable pain in their daily lives. He told Ali that for the rest of her existence she would live with the knowledge of what she had done and the loss of her beloved children.

It was reported that the children had been placed with another family but returned to Ali just three days later. A professional close to the family said she was horrified by the decision and wanted to know who had authorised it. Eleven days later, the children were dead. A close friend, who did not want to be identified, alerted police on the night and had earlier called police and social services because she was worried about Ali's behaviour. She said she knew the children were not safe.