A baby girl’s father was in the kitchen of a third-floor flat making infant formula when she was allegedly thrown out of the window by her mother, a court heard.

Mariam plunged from a sash window in the property in Westminster, central London, on Saturday.

Her mother, Zahira Byjaouane, 43, appeared at Westminster magistrates’ court on Monday and spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth and address.

On Wednesday, she was scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey, charged with murder, but was unable to attend the hearing.

Philip McGhee, prosecuting, said the defendant’s husband had called 999 at 7.30am on Saturday and reported that a child had fallen from a window.

London Ambulance Service and police attended within minutes and found Mariam lying on a concrete surface between the block of flats on Great Peter Street and a high metal railing.

The baby, who was 18-days-old, was taken to hospital in a “critical condition”, having fallen about 32ft, and died at 9am suffering from a skull fracture, the court was told.

The father was said to have been in the kitchen making baby formula when the incident happened.

Mr McGhee said the husband ran outside and tried unsuccessfully to reach Mariam before returning inside and calling 999.

Police went inside the flat and found Ms Byjaouane sitting on a bed.

She was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and then charged with murder the following day.

Judge Mark Lucraft KC set a timetable for the case with a plea hearing on June 3 and a provisional 10-day trial before him from Feb 15 2027.

The judge remanded the defendant into custody.

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