Woman arrested on suspicion of assisting father who fled crash scene and was convicted over baby's death

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of helping a father who was convicted of causing the death of his baby daughter in a drunken car crash.

Detectives are appealing for the public's help to find Emmanuel Sakyi, who is wanted after fleeing the scene and failing to appear at court for his trial and sentencing.

The 31-year-old, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, was convicted in his absence last Monday of causing death by dangerous driving and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

He was drunk driving on the wrong side of the road at the time of a head-on crash involving two cars in the city in 2022.

A 40-year-old woman, also from Milton Keynes, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of assisting an offender, Thames Valley Police (TVP) said on Sunday.

She has since been released under investigation while inquiries continue, the force added.

What happened in the crash?

Sakyi's conviction at Aylesbury Crown Court related to a collision on 4 December 2022, when he was driving his grey Peugeot 508 between Bond Avenue roundabout and Fenny Lock roundabout in Milton Keynes.

He was more than two-and-a-half times the legal drink-drive limit when his vehicle was involved in a collision with a Fiat 500.

His seven-month-old daughter, Emmanuela, died from injuries she sustained in the crash after not being properly secured in an appropriate child seat, police said. Instead, she was sitting on her mother's lap in the passenger seat.

Following the incident, Sakyi left the scene on foot before later being arrested by officers.

'People in the community know where he is'

Detective Inspector Justin Thomas, of the serious collision investigation unit at TVP, said: "Nearly four years ago, seven-month-old Emmanuela lost her life because her father chose to drink drive. Emmanuel Sakyi should be behind bars. Instead, he remains at large.

"We have made an arrest and are continuing our enquiries to locate Sakyi, but we still need the public's help."

DI Thomas added: "We know there are people within the community who know where Sakyi is or have information that could help us find him.

"I would urge anybody who is assisting him, harbouring him, or helping him evade justice to consider the seriousness of this case and do the right thing.

"Emmanuela lost her life and Sakyi has been sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. Our determination to locate him has not diminished."

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Prosecutor Daren Samat told Aylesbury Crown Court the defendant did not, as he was legally responsible to, secure his daughter in a car seat or put her in an appropriate restraint.

Jurors during the trial heard that instead, Sakyi "simply allowed her to be carried in the front seat by her mother".

Following the trial at the same court, Emmanuela's mother Ruth Oppong, 34, was convicted of aiding and abetting causing death by dangerous driving and causing unnecessary suffering or injury to a child.

She was sentenced to one year and nine months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.

Sakyi is described as a black man with a medium build, with black hair and brown eyes and is around 5ft 3in tall.

(c) Sky News 2026: Woman arrested on suspicion of assisting father who fled crash scene and was convicted over baby's death