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Remembering Amina

Amina Agboola was a two year old little girl whose father, Reuben Agboola, lovingly referred to her as his “little princess.” After her death, he spoke publicly about how proud and grateful he was to have Amina as his daughter and thanked people for the love and support shown to her family.  The photographs that remain of Amina show a little girl in the middle of childhood playing outside, sitting on a swing, and smiling. She had a father who loved her, siblings around her, and an entire life still unfolding. Amina had just turned two.

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Amina's Story

On the morning of November 21, 2013, Amina's mother, Sarah Raqueman, took an older child to school and left Amina at their home in Yaxley with her mother's teenage boyfriend, Dean Harris. Harris became angry after Amina soiled herself. He kicked the two year old in the stomach with such force that she was thrown approximately six feet across the room. The force of that kick completely split Amina's liver in two. At sentencing, the judge described the force involved as similar to that experienced in a road traffic collision. When paramedics reached Amina, she was limp and struggling to breathe. Harris initially claimed that she had fallen and injured herself. Amina was taken to Peterborough City Hospital, but her injuries were too severe. She died that day. The fatal injury was not the only evidence of violence found on Amina's body. The court heard that she had suffered other injuries, including an untreated fractured wrist, bruising to her face, and marks to her cheeks and forearm. Harris initially denied murdering Amina and admitted only manslaughter. He was ultimately convicted of murder. He later wrote a confession letter to Amina's family acknowledging that he had kicked her.

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The Warning Signs

Before Amina died, professionals already had concerns about Dean Harris. Harris had a history of domestic violence, and social services had warned Amina's mother repeatedly about his violent history and that he should not be left alone with the children. A number of professionals had raised welfare concerns involving the family, including staff at a school and preschool, the family's doctor, and the health-visiting team. By October 2013 approximately a month before Amina was killed an action plan had been agreed stating that Harris would not be left alone with the children. According to the later Serious Case Review, however, that arrangement was never formalized by the local authority. On November 21, he was left alone with Amina. She died that day. A Serious Case Review published in 2015 concluded that Amina's death could not have been predicted or prevented by the professionals involved. However, the review did identify failings, including inadequate information sharing and a lack of sufficient “professional curiosity.”

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Justice for Amina

Dean Harris was convicted of murder at Cambridge Crown Court. On August 5, 2014, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 17 years. The sentencing judge agreed with an assessment that Harris posed a significant risk of serious harm to children left unsupervised in his care.

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Person convicted: Dean Harris

Relationship to Amina: Mother's boyfriend

Conviction: Murder

Sentence: Life imprisonment, minimum 17 years

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Amina's mother, Sarah Raqueman, was prosecuted separately. She was acquitted of causing or allowing Amina's death, but pleaded guilty to two counts of cruelty involving other children. She received an 11 month suspended sentence.

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Forever Remembered

After Harris was sentenced, Amina's father spoke publicly about the grief of losing his daughter. He said that he thought about Amina constantly and still cried every day. He described continuing through everyday life while his mind remained with his little girl. Those words tell us something that court records never can. Behind the photographs, police reports, injuries, court proceedings and Serious Case Review was a little girl whose father desperately wanted his daughter back. Amina should be remembered for more than the violence that ended her life. She was the little girl on the swing. She was her father's “little princess.” She was loved. And although Amina's story teaches a painful lesson about listening to warnings when a child's safety may be at risk, the lesson should never become more important than the child herself. Her name was Amina Agboola.

Abuse Angels remembers Amina, tells the truth about what happened to her, and honors the little girl behind the case.