Woman said child ‘deserved to die’ during life-threatening Angus attack

A child was smothered with a pillow for around two minutes by a woman who told her she deserved to die.

Laurie Taylor, 31, carried out the drunken attack on the girl she was meant to be caring for at an address in Angus last year.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard how the child was throttled by Taylor, who kicked the youngster in the stomach and caused her to fall down a set of stairs.

A social work report was ordered after Taylor pled guilty to assaulting the child and endangering the girl’s life.

Terrifying attack

The court was told how the child arrived at Taylor’s home to find her asleep on a sofa in the living room, next to empty wine bottles and cans.

She was woken and erupted at the child.

Ms Farmer said: “The accused went upstairs and sat on top of her, straddling her and screamed ‘I’m going to kill you’ before pushing a pillow against her face.

“The child was struggling to breathe.

“The accused said she deserved to die and would get away with it as there was no-one in the house.

“She released it after about a minute or two.”

Taylor, wearing Converse trainers, repeatedly kicked the girl on the leg and winded the child by kicking her on the stomach when she tried to leave the room.

She managed to leave but Taylor stood behind her at the top of the stairs, knocked into her and caused her to fall down the steps.

The helpless child suffered pain in her ankle and was choked by Taylor, who again said the youngster deserved to die.

The tight grip was only released after another child entered the room.

An adult relative entered the property and took the injured girl to Ninewells Hospital.

She suffered bruising and tenderness.

Guilty plea

Taylor, of Arbroath, gave a “no comment” interview to police.

Sniffling and sobbing in the dock, she pled guilty on Tuesday to endangering the child’s life during the attacks on August 22 2023.

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentence until December for a social work report to be prepared.

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