A woman accused of murdering her 14-month-old daughter has said she was “treated like a slave” by her husband’s family.
Sadia Ahmed denies murdering Inaya Ahmed at their family home in Drumchapel, Glasgow.
It has been alleged that she suffocated the child with a pillow on 17 April 2016.
She has told the jury at the High Court in Glasgow that her daughter choked on a piece of toast.
Mrs Ahmed told defence QC Ian Duguid that she was not treated well by her husband Suleman’s parents and other family members who lived with them.
She claimed she was made to sleep on the floor in her mother-in-law’s bedroom after she gave birth to Inaya.
She added: “I was treated like a slave in that house. That’s why I was made to sleep on the floor in her bedroom after giving birth.”
At the end of her evidence, Mrs Ahmed, 28, told judge Lord Matthews: “My Lord, I’m a grieving mother. I have been grieving for one year, six months and 16 days and I will be grieving till my very last.”
She then broke down sobbing.
A nursery nurse with the NHS told the court about advice Mrs Ahmed was given about feeding Inaya.
She was told the child should be given solid food rather than mashed food.
Susan McIntyre said she visited the Ahmed family home on 17 November 2015, after concerns were raised about Inaya being fed with a syringe.
Ms McIntyre said: “Sadia welcomed me at the door with Inaya. The place was pristine. The floors were sparkling.
“I was shown into a room where Inaya’s grandmother was. There were no chairs, so I sat on the floor.”
Mr Duguid asked the nurse about Inaya being given mashed-up food.
Ms McIntyre said: “She should start using finger foods at nine months old. If a child isn’t used to solid food they don’t develop a gag reflux.
“Her muscles in her throat wouldn’t have developed properly and it would be difficult for her to swallow.”
The nurse was also asked about a visit by the mother and daughter to Drumchapel community clinic the following month.
She said: “It was very good and positive. Inaya came over to her and she was kissing and cuddling her and there was a lot of good eye contact.”
Christina Brown, the joint co-ordinator of an out-of-school care project, told the court about work Mrs Ahmed did for her.
Ms Brown said: “She interacted well and the children were quite comfortable in her company.”
She was asked if she knew Mrs Ahmed had a child and she replied: “I did, yes. She showed us pictures of her daughter which were on her phone.”
On Thursday, Mrs Ahmed said in evidence she was not allowed to have a phone of her own.
Prosecutor Paul Kearney asked Ms Brown: “So she had a phone?”
“She had her own phone, yes,” the witness replied.
“Was it like a smartphone?” Mr Kearney asked.
“Yes it was,” she replied.
The trial continues.