Janice Nix Convicted of 1978 Manslaughter After Scalding Five-Year-Old Stepdaughter in Bath

Janice Nix, 67, has been convicted of unlawfully killing her five-year-old stepdaughter, Andrea Bernard, by forcing her into a scalding bath in 1978. The incident occurred in Thornton Heath, south London, with Andrea suffering severe burns to half her body before succumbing to her injuries five weeks later on 13 July 1978.

For decades, Andrea's death was officially classified as an accident. However, the case was reopened following a report made to the police in 2022 by Desmond Bernard, Andrea's older brother, now aged 56.

During the trial, Desmond Bernard testified to a consistent pattern of physical abuse inflicted by Nix. He recounted how Nix would regularly beat the children for minor transgressions, such as not folding clothes to her satisfaction. Bernard described being beaten with a belt, burned with cigarettes, bitten, and forced to consume cat food. He stated that he had initially corroborated Nix's fabricated account of his sister's death to prevent further beatings.

Bernard tearfully explained to the jury that he lived in "constant fear" and had lied to authorities at the time because he "didn't feel protected" and "just wanted it to stop." He described Nix as physically strong with a "heavy-set build."

The court heard that on 6 June 1978, Nix became "furious" when Andrea disobeyed instructions to stay inside and help with cleaning. Bernard recalled hearing Nix shouting "extremely loud" before a beating, followed by the sound of a bath running. He then heard Nix shouting "get in the bath" and Andrea crying, "the bath is too hot mummy." This was followed by screaming and splashing, which abruptly ceased. Bernard then heard Nix calling Andrea to "wake up, wake up."

Upon entering the bathroom, Bernard witnessed Nix cradling a "limp" Andrea, wrapped in a towel. He testified that Nix then instructed him to claim they were in the garden when the incident occurred, promising she would "never beat me again."

Nix, of Clapham, south London, reacted with head-shaking and weeping as she was also found guilty of cruelty to Desmond Bernard between October 1975 and June 1978, when he was between the ages of seven and nine.

When asked why he finally decided to disclose the truth about his sister's death, Bernard stated, "I couldn't carry on dealing with it," adding, "To place this burden where it should go."