London Step-Mother Found Guilty Of 5-Year-Old's 1978 Death

More than four decades after the death of 5-year-old Andrea Bernard, her stepmother, Janice Nix, has been convicted of manslaughter in connection with the 1978 case. On May 26, the London-based 67-year-old was found guilty following a trial at Isleworth Crown Court, according to a press release from the Metropolitan Police. Nix was also convicted of assault and ill-treatment involving Andrea’s older brother, Desmond, who was eight-years-old at the time of the incident, between 1975 and 1978.

What happened to Andrea Bernard?

In 1978, Andrea suffered severe burns to half of her body after being immersed in a scalding bath at the family’s Thornton Heath home. She died nearly six weeks later in hospital. At the time, a coroner ruled her death accidental, determining that she died from sepsis caused by the burns.

However, the case was reopened in 2022 after Desmond, now 56, contacted police and alleged that Nix was responsible for his sister’s injuries and death.

According to investigators, Desmond initially told authorities the incident had been accidental because Nix, who he said regularly physically abused him, promised she would stop hitting him if he kept quiet. According to a report from the BBC, Desmond revealed that he and Andrea lived in constant fear of being punished by Nix who would not only beat them but also force them “to eat cat food.”

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As an adult, he eventually began sharing details of what happened that day with those close to him before ultimately speaking with police.

In his statement, Desmond said Nix frequently beat both him and Andrea when she believed they had misbehaved. On the day Andrea suffered her fatal injuries, Nix had reportedly punished her by refusing to let her attend school.

Andrea later left the house and met up with her brother before returning home, where Desmond said Nix began yelling at and hitting her. He recalled going upstairs to his bedroom, located next to the bathroom, where he heard Andrea repeatedly scream, “it’s hot it’s hot,” while Nix shouted at her to get into the bath.

Moments later, the screaming stopped. Desmond said Nix then called him into the bathroom, where he found Andrea limp.

Per the BBC, he revealed that Nix had later told him that if he said it was an accident, “she would never beat” him “again.” When a prosecutor asked why he lied, Desmond reportedly replied, “Because I didn’t feel protected, I just wanted it to stop.”

Investigators discovered inconsistencies in Janice Nix’s testimonies.

Detectives launched an extensive investigation, reviewing thousands of archived local authority and hospital records while also attempting to trace former neighbors and witnesses connected to the case. Despite many records being lost over time, investigators were able to piece together enough evidence to prosecute Nix. They also found inconsistencies within her testimonies throughout the years. 

During police interviews in 2022, Nix allegedly provided a version of events that differed substantially from her original statement.

According to the BBC, Nix originally told investigators in 1978 that Andrea had run her own bath before later complaining of “itchy legs” and eventually collapsing.

Nix later acknowledged that she had provided the coroner with a false version of events, explaining that she had been “in a panic” after failing to properly supervise the child.

She described her actions at the time as “negligence,” telling the court that, as a 19-year-old, she had been gardening when she suddenly heard Andrea screaming. According to Nix, she rushed inside within seconds and pulled the little girl from the scalding water.

Homer told jurors that several of Nix’s explanations were inconsistent and unsupported by expert testimony, describing them as claims “that didn’t make sense.” Among them were assertions that Andrea had been able to hold a conversation despite suffering catastrophic burns and that the bathwater had become dangerously hot because of a faulty boiler, but those details were mentioned in the coroner’s original report. When asked about the discrepancies, Nix declined to comment, saying the period had been traumatic for her.

At trial, expert witnesses testified about the severity of Andrea’s burns and how the injuries were likely inflicted. A burns specialist told the court that a child placed in water hot enough to cause Andrea’s injuries would instinctively try to stand up and escape rather than remain submerged voluntarily. Prosecutors argued this indicated that parts of Andrea’s body had been forcibly held underwater, according to the press release. 

Janice Nix denied ever abusing Desmond or being responsible for Andrea’s death, maintaining that Desmond’s account of the incident was inaccurate. She is due to be sentenced at a later date.

Detective Inspector Louise Caveen, from the Met’s Cold Case Homicide team worked alongside Desmond to bring the case of Andrea Bernard to a close.

“This is a particularly tragic case and my thoughts ultimately remain with Andrea’s family, whose lives were changed irrevocably back in 1978,” Caveen said in a statement shared along with Wednesday’s press release. 

“In particular, I want to pay tribute to Desmond, who bravely made the decision to come forward and speak to us, as well as giving evidence at trial. It is thanks to his courage that Nix has now been found guilty and will finally be held responsible for her actions.”

Caveen added, “I hope this case demonstrates that the Met will always review any new evidence that is brought to us, no matter the length of time that has passed. We will use all of the resources we have available to seek out the truth and pursue new opportunities to get justice for all victims who have been unlawfully killed.”

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