Parents Charged With Murder After Death of 3-Month-Old in North Finchley

Dounia Chetaouat, 32, and Abdelkader Essid, 44, have been charged with murder after their three-month-old son died in hospital on 17 February following injuries sustained at a home in Kingsway, North Finchley. Police and prosecutors upgraded the case after the infant’s death; both defendants remain in custody.

"Police and paramedics were sent to an address in Kingsway in North Finchley, north London, at 11:34 GMT on 30 January following reports of an unresponsive baby," the police log records for the initial emergency call. Paramedics who attended the property performed emergency treatment at the scene before the child was taken to hospital.

"When paramedics arrived, they found the youngster had suffered serious injuries and performed emergency first aid before he was rushed to hospital." The infant, described in police briefings as Baby A, was treated in hospital for more than two weeks before he died on 17 February. A post-mortem examination has been scheduled; Scotland Yard said a post-mortem is due to take place.

Chetaouat and Essid were arrested later on 30 January on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm and were charged on 2 February with causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child. "They were then charged with causing or allowing serious physical harm to a child on 2 February, and both were remanded in custody," court records show from the Ealing Magistrates' Court appearance that month.

Following the infant’s death, prosecutors amended the charges. Both parents were charged on 18 February with murder and with causing or allowing the death of a child. "They are expected to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Monday," court listings indicated; the defendants are entered on magistrates' records as Dounia Chetaouat, of Kingsway, North Finchley, and Abdelkader Essid, of Clandon Gardens, Finchley.

Legal teams and the Crown Prosecution Service have not published further detail on the alleged mechanism of injury or any proposed evidence; the scheduled post-mortem and any coroner referral will determine next investigative steps. The defendants remain remanded in custody after their earlier Ealing hearing, and the next custody and committal timetables will be set at the Uxbridge hearing.

This case is being handled by the Metropolitan Police's child protection unit and court proceedings will now follow the murder charge and the coroner’s timetable once the post-mortem report is completed.