A woman has been convicted of manslaughter in connection with the death of her five-year-old stepdaughter nearly 45 years ago, following a historic investigation that reopened after new testimony surfaced.

Janice Nix, 67, was found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court for causing the death of Andrea Bernard in 1978 in Thornton Heath, south London. Prosecutors said Nix scalded Andrea in a hot bath as a punishment after the child failed to obey her instructions. During the trial, the court heard that Nix regularly subjected Andrea and her older brother, Desmond Bernard, to physical abuse, including beating them for not folding clothes to her satisfaction and forcing them to eat cat food.

The death of Andrea, who suffered burns on approximately 50 percent of her body, was initially treated as accidental. However, the case was reopened after Desmond Bernard, now 56, came forward to police in 2022 with a detailed account of events. Bernard explained that he had initially concealed the truth to protect himself from further abuse but later decided he could no longer carry the burden.

In his testimony, Bernard described overhearing Nix shouting at Andrea the night of the incident. He recounted hearing Andrea protest that the bathwater was too hot and subsequent screams and splashing before the noise ceased. Bernard said he found his sister “limp” and wrapped in a towel, with Nix urging him to claim the injury was accidental, insisting they were in the garden at the time. Describing his motivation for lying initially, Bernard said he lived in constant fear and just wanted the abuse to end.

Expert testimony during the trial indicated that Andrea’s injuries were inconsistent with accidental exposure, noting a child subjected to water of that temperature would normally attempt to escape. The prosecution argued this suggested Nix forcibly restrained parts of Andrea’s body underwater.

Nix, formerly known as Janice Thomas, was in a relationship with the children’s father, also named Desmond Bernard, making her their de facto stepmother. She expressed remorse in court, acknowledging that she had acted negligently and admitting regret for her actions as a teenager.

Nix was arrested on February 18, 2025, after arriving at Heathrow Airport from Antigua and later charged with manslaughter and cruelty. Detective Inspector Louise Caveen of the Metropolitan Police’s cold case homicide unit commended Desmond Bernard for his bravery, stating that his courage was instrumental in securing Nix’s conviction and delivering a measure of justice after decades.

Andrea Bernard died nearly six weeks after the incident, leaving a lasting impact on her family, who have lived with the consequences of the tragedy for decades.