Crimes and Courts Correspondent<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ENGLAND – A mother has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for concealing her daughter in a drawer for three years, depriving her of basic care and social interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chester Crown Court heard that “the little girl, who had never seen daylight or fresh air, was discovered just weeks before her third birthday when the mother\u2019s partner returned home to use the bathroom.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The toddler was found “malnourished and resembling a seven-month-old,” having been fed milky Weetabix through a syringe. She had “matted hair, deformities, rashes, and a cleft palate,” with no medical care sought by her mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The child was left alone for extended periods, including during “the mother\u2019s visits to relatives over Christmas,” and had “never received a birthday or Christmas gift.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Judge Steven Everett described the situation as \u201ccatastrophic\u201d for the child, who is now beginning to recover from her traumatic experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mother, who pleaded guilty to four counts of child cruelty, kept her daughter hidden “to avoid detection from her partner and other children.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The offenses took place from early 2020 until the child\u2019s discovery in 2023, when “her cries were finally heard.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The judge ruled that the mother\u2019s identity should remain confidential to protect the victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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