Ballerina who shrunk to 4st begs judge to overturn parents’ jail term for neglect and starvation, claiming dependence.
The girl showed no signs of puberty. Her dance teachers begged the parents for help. They refused, so authorities intervened. The child was hospitalized immediately. Doctors found her near death from starvation.
An Australian couple neglected their daughter. The court sentenced them last month. The father got six and a half years. The mother received five years in jail.
The parents hid their daughter’s age. They wanted to conceal her malnutrition. The hospital treated her like a toddler.
The father claimed veganism caused the weight loss. He said she was free to eat what she wanted.
The judge said they kept her a little girl. They stopped her from growing up normally. The judge did not believe the parents’ story.
The judge noted everyone saw her severe malnutrition. Only the parents claimed they did not notice. Her body lacked fat, her hair was brittle, and her skin was dry. Her heart rate was too fast. They refused an ECG.
The teen wrote a statement supporting them. She said she depended on her parents. They paid for everything, like university. She loves them and wouldn’t cope without them.
The judge said the parents failed their duty. She sentenced them to prison. The father’s lawyer may appeal.