Nicola Sturgeon said she is “consumed with sadness” and anger at the death of Mercy Baguma, who was found dead next to her starving baby in a Glasgow flat.
The Ugandan woman’s body was discovered by police in Govan on Saturday and the Scottish First Minister has now called for a complete reform of the UK’s “deeply inhumane” asylum system.
The Positive Action in Housing (PAIH) charity said Ms Baguma’s one-year-old son was “found crying beside his mother’s body, weakened from several days of starvation”.
He has since been released from hospital into the care of his father.
Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Ms Sturgeon said: “I find myself consumed with sadness but also with real anger at the death of Mercy Baguma and first and foremost my thoughts – and I’m sure the thoughts of all of us – go to her family and friends following her tragic death.”
Asked about the incident by Scottish Green co-leader Alison Johnstone, Ms Sturgeon continued: “We knew this before this tragedy, but it is underlined by this tragedy – the UK asylum system is not just broken, it is deeply inhumane and it must be changed.
Support
“People who come to Scotland because they need a place of safety should have our support, and that is even more true right now at this time of crisis.”
Ms Sturgeon said her government has repeatedly raised concerns about the Westminster-reserved asylum process and added: “We need wholesale reform of our asylum system and we need to start from the principle of dignity, of empathy and of support for our fellow human beings who come to this country, seeking support at desperate and dismal times of their lives.
Look into their hearts
“I would appeal to the UK Government to look into their hearts as a result of this case and finally make the changes that are needed to housing.”
Ms Sturgeon added she would support all efforts to investigate Ms Baguma’s death, including backing the PAIH charity’s calls for an inquiry into the accommodation situation faced by asylum seekers in Glasgow during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Crown Office has said the Procurator Fiscal has received a report in connection with the 34-year-old’s death and an investigation is under way.
Related – Asylum seeker ‘left functionally destitute’ found dead next to starving baby