A mother who kept her three-year-old daughter in a drawer, depriving her of basic needs, was sentenced to seven years in prison for neglect and abuse. The child is now being cared for by a foster family and is experiencing love and care for the first time in her life.
In the UK, a mother was sentenced to seven years in prison for severely neglecting her three-year-old daughter, who was found in February 2023 by the mother's partner. The child was severely malnourished, unable to walk or speak, and had never seen another human face.
It was revealed that the child was born in a bathtub at the mother's home in Cheshire in March 2020, with no official records and had been hidden in a drawer since birth. The mother fed the child occasionally with milky Weetabix and a syringe, changing her diaper. The child was left alone during the mother's work hours and when she took her other children to school.
When found, the child was unable to walk, crawl, or make any sounds. Her muscle structure was weak, her limbs were limp, and her feet were swollen. Her developmental level was equivalent to that of a 10-month-old baby due to extreme neglect. The child's new caregiver stated that she had to learn to smile and eat for the first time.
Judge Steven Everett described the mother's behavior as "incredibly bad," stating that the child had been deprived of love, medical care, and social interaction. The judge referred to the mother's actions as "a living death."
Now in foster care, the child is experiencing many things for the first time, such as riding a swing, walking, and talking. The foster family stated that witnessing her first steps and words was both sad and beautiful.
Prosecutor Rachel Worthington emphasized that the child had never received a birthday or Christmas gift, had no interaction with her siblings, and didn't even recognize her own name. While the mother's motivations remain unclear, she stated that justice had been served.
