Janice Nix, a former drug dealer who turned probation worker, has been found guilty of scalding her five-year-old stepdaughter to death in 1978. The conviction comes after new evidence exposed the killer's lies and the victim's brother's courage in coming forward.
A drugs kingpin-turned-probation worker has been found guilty of scalding her five-year-old stepdaughter to death in 1978 after new evidence exposed the killer's lies. Janice Nix has been returned to prison - years after she was put away for serious drugs offences - after jurors dismissed her account of how little Andrea Bernard was burnt by a hot bath.
Detectives praised Andrea's older brother Desmond Bernard for coming forward in 2022 and recalling how he heard his little sister scream 'the bath is too hot, mummy', placing Nix at the scene. He initially covered for Nix, who was then 19, after she promised not to beat him again if he backed her claims that she was outside, but said he could no longer live with the secret.
Nix, who retired from the Probation Service in 2019 after turning her life around, repeatedly changed her account of what happened, successfully convincing a coroner that Andrea's death was a 'tragic accident'. But she shook her head and then cried hysterically as she was unanimously convicted today of manslaughter and child cruelty following a three-week trial at Isleworth Crown Court in west London.
Police commended Mr Bernard's courage and said: 'Without him, there would be no case, there would be no answers for Andrea.
' In a statement, he said: 'Today's verdict brings a sense of justice and accountability for the incredibly horrific and tragic events of 48 years ago. Janice Nix has been convicted over the death of her stepdaughter, five-year-old Andrea Bernard, in 1978. The former drug dealer was later commended for her work with the Probation Service following her release from prison in the 2000s.
The court heard how Andrea suffered severe burns to 50% of her body following the incident at the family home in Thornton Heath, south London nearly 50 years ago. Mr Bernard, now 56, described how his stepmother was 'furious' with Andrea when the pair got home from school on Tuesday June 6 1978. Nix was arrested at Heathrow airport in 2025 after returning from Antigua.
She tried to hide her face when she appeared at the magistrates' court for her first appearance in February 2025. Her memoirs Breaking Out, published by HarperCollins, revealed her 'fiery temper', desire for violent revenge, and teaching her young daughter to lie to police. There is no mention of the bath incident with Andrea in the book. In fact, Mr Bernard said it was the book which prompted him to speak to police
Janice Nix Andrea Bernard Scalding Manslaughter Child Cruelty Probation Service Breaking Out Antigua Magistrates' Court Memoirs Desmond Bernard Thornton Heath South London Severe Burns Bath Incident Fiery Temper Desire For Violent Revenge Teaching Daughter To Lie To Police
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Former Drug Dealer and Probation Officer Convicted of 1978 Manslaughter of StepdaughterJanice Nix, once a drug kingpin turned probation worker, was found guilty of manslaughter and child cruelty for scalding her five‑year‑old stepdaughter Andrea Bernard to death in 1978, after new testimony from the victim's brother overturned her long‑standing claims of an accident.
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Drugs kingpin-turned-probation worker found guilty of killing stepdaughter in 1978A former drug dealer who turned her life around and worked as a probation worker has been found guilty of killing her five-year-old stepdaughter in 1978. The case was reopened after new evidence emerged, and the stepmother was returned to prison.
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