A carer walked into freezing river with two babies after her visa was refused, a court heard.
Rhonda Micetich, who moved to the UK from India in 2021, was suffering from “mental trauma” after receiving a letter from the Home Office alerting her to the expiration of her visa, Winchester Crown Court heard.
The 31-year-old told people not to rescue her and to just “just live your life and leave me here” as she had ended up in the “worst situation” and could not “find any help from anyone”.
The carer and the two infants were rescued by members of the public who were praised by a judge was their “extraordinary” bravery.
Micetich told officials she wanted to end her life, having received correspondence from the government that her visa was due to expire and she would have to return to India.
She was handed a two-year community order while the judge said the case exemplifies how “vulnerable” those who take out visas and rely upon sponsors are.
‘They heard the babies screaming’
On Oct 26 last year, Micetich entered the Itchen River, near the Cobden Bridge in Southampton, with two babies.
It was heard that two 12-year-old schoolgirls witnessed Micetich going deeper into the water.
Maria Karaiskos KC said: “The schoolgirls saw the defendant proceed further into the water to her shoulder height, with the water up to the babies’ necks, although they noted that the defendant was keeping the babies heads up quite high.
“They heard the babies screaming and sounding distressed.
“The weather was cold that day and the babies were described as being really scared.”
Simon Ling, a “strong swimmer”, was able to reach Micetich.
The prosecutor said one of the babies was “shivering heavily”.
The carer passed the babies, not identified for legal reasons, over to him and Mr Ling recalled Micetich saying “do not bother coming back for me”.
The carer told the emergency services that she had been suffering mental trauma.
At the hospital, Micetech told doctors she had received correspondence from the Home Office unexpectedly, regarding the expiry of her visa.
The prosecutor said: “Her stress levels increased and she could not face going through the visa application or losing her UK status.”
In later interviews, Micetech said her employer had told her she had to pay £20,000 for her sponsorship.
The carer received a visa in 2021 for two and a half years which she explained to her boss but he said if she did not give him the money – in cash – he would cancel her visa.
In September 2023, Micetech received an email from Home Office informing her that her employer had cancelled her sponsorship and that she had to return to India by Nov 14 2023.
The carer pleaded guilty to two counts of child neglect.
Sentencing Micetech, Judge Paul Dugdale said: “I want to tell you this straight away, you are not receiving a prison sentence today and you will be released from custody today.
“You came to this country with your husband a few years ago and you came here having applied for a visa.
She ‘was experiencing pressure’
“You came to undertake further education and you came here also to work and do an important job.”
Judge Dugdale said the occupation of a carer “is an important job”‘ and a role which “this country lacks”.
The judge said the carer was experiencing pressure to pay her employer money.
“That exemplifies how vulnerable people can be when they come to this country under a visa and rely upon a sponsorship,” he added.
”I don’t think it’s something that those who live in this country are proud of.”
Despite this, Judge Dugdale said Micetich could have easily “lost grip” of the babies.
He highlighted how Micetech was suffering from “acute stress” and a “moderate depressive episode”.
”You did something that in other circumstances you would never have done,” he said, “you decided the only exit strategy for you is to end your life.”
Source Agencies
