A warning this story contains details and images some viewers may find distressing. A Perth mother and father have been convicted of starving their daughter. The trial, which was expected to last days went on for weeks and heard evidence from doctors warning the girl’s parents she could die without medical intervention.
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00:00It took the District Court jury four hours to convict the parents of engaging in conduct
00:07that caused their child to suffer, failing to ensure proper nutrition and failing to
00:11ensure emotional, social and functional development.
00:14The court heard the 16-year-old weighed only 27 kilograms before being taken to Perth Children's
00:20Hospital in 2021.
00:22After the parents refused a feeding tube, the teenager was taken into the care of the
00:26Child Protection Department.
00:28Authorities had started investigating after two dance teachers raised the alarm, concerned
00:33about the girl's emaciated appearance.
00:35The court had heard the daughter was observed in hospital to have tastes and interests of
00:40a child much younger than 16.
00:42Prosecutor Jenna Winter said she was at risk of exploitation and abuse in the future.
00:47Judge Linda Black refused bail, saying there was a risk of further harm to the daughter,
00:51even though she was now an adult.
00:53She was highly critical of the mother's decision to call her daughter as a witness, saying
00:58she'd never ever had a case when a person who'd been charged with abuse had called the
01:02abused person to give evidence.
01:05Judge Black was very critical of the mother's attempt to have the trial vacated after her
01:09daughter suffered a panic attack and could not give evidence.
01:12The mother and father are scheduled to be sentenced in January.