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During a session at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Judge Mark Lucraft KC established the formal litigation calendar for 43-year-old Zahira Byjaouane. Although the defendant was unable to attend the hearing, the court proceeded with essential administrative scheduling. A Plea and Trial Preparation Hearing (PTPH) has been finalized for June 3, 2026. Looking further ahead, a provisional trial date has been set for February 15, 2027, which is expected to last approximately ten days. Byjaouane remains remanded in custody as the standard protocol for cases of this nature, with no bail application entered at this stage, Daily Dazzling Dawn understand.
Forensic Evidence and Professional Standing-The prosecution, led by Philip McGhee, presented the court with the initial findings from the investigation into the events of March 14. Forensic reports indicate that the infant, Mariam, succumbed to a severe skull fracture after falling roughly 32 feet from a third-floor sash window at the family's residence on Great Peter Street. Central to the ongoing inquiry is Byjaouane’s professional history; she is a highly qualified healthcare professional who managed clinical coordination at a prestigious Harley Street clinic until early 2025 and held positions at several leading London hospitals. The Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command continues to analyze the domestic environment of the Peabody Estate property to reconcile these professional credentials with the circumstances of the incident.
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Immediate Investigative Context-Evidence disclosed in court clarified that the emergency was first reported by the infant’s father at 7:30 am while he was in the kitchen preparing formula. Despite his immediate attempts to reach the child and the rapid arrival of the London Ambulance Service, the infant was pronounced dead at 9:00 am after being transported to a major trauma center in critical condition. Detective Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell has confirmed that the case is being handled exclusively within a domestic context, with no other suspects currently under investigation.
Procedural Next Steps-The focus of the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service now turns to the preparation of full evidentiary disclosure. Over the coming months, forensic specialists will complete their structural analysis of the Horseferry Road residence while medical experts compile comprehensive reports for the summer plea hearing. In Westminster, the local community continues to observe a period of mourning, leaving floral tributes at the scene as the case moves through the formal British judicial system.
