Mother who starved disabled daughter to death is jailed for nine years
A mother who starved her disabled daughter to death has been jailed for more than nine years.
Elaine Clarke, 49, admitted killing 24-year-old Debbie Leitch, who had Down's Syndrome and weighed just 3st 10lbs when she was found dead at the family home in August 2019.
She was suffering from a severe skin infection, Norwegian scabies, which had spread to such an extent that police struggled to identify her sex when they found her body.
Clarke, from Blackpool, was sentenced to nine years and seven months in prison after admitting to gross negligent manslaughter at Preston Crown Court today.
John Harrison QC, prosecuting, described the terrible conditions that Debbie’s decomposing body was in when emergency services found her on August 29, 2019.
He said: "Debbie was extremely emaciated with a severe rash to the scalp, the face and the soles of the feet. The jumper and trousers worn by the deceased were filthy and mites were found crawling on them.”
Harrison said a urine soiled nappy was found inside her trousers while her trousers, buttocks and thighs were covered in faeces.
Her hair was falling out due to the scabies while her face was covered with the rash.
"Debbie's ribs were visible through the skin,” Harrison added. “All of her limbs were wasted and the rash was widespread on them.
"More than 30 per cent of her skin was covered in the rash, which was more severe in some parts of the body than others."
The court heard how Clarke's niece, Sammy Mugridge, visited the home a month before Debbie's death.
She warned Clarke that Debbie would die if she was not looked after and reported her to social services.
She told the court: "I'll never forget the last day I saw Debbie alive. I knew she was ill and not well, but the sight of her in the room will live with me forever.”
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"Debbie was so skinny. Her hair had been hacked off her skin looked like raw flesh. It was like something out of a horror movie."Following the safeguarding report on July 26, a GP from Whitegate Health Centre arranged a home visit that day.
Clarke then made efforts to clean up the room and put her daughter in the shower.
The court heard: "Debbie screamed throughout the shower. The pain on her skin must have been excruciating."
Clarke reassured the doctor that she was treating her daughter's skin infection with medication.
He made arrangements to visit again on August 12, but when he arrived he was unable to gain access to the property, and follow-up attempts from the health centre were ignored.
Clarke similarly presented Debbie to Blackpool Council social workers, telling them she was “doing really well, was eating really well, and was spending time downstairs”.
Debbie's condition continued to deteriorate, and she was heard crying and calling “mummy, mummy,” by a neighbour in the days leading up to her death.
When Clarke, who was paid £215 a week to care for her daughter, finally called 999 on the evening of August 29, 2019, it was determined that Debbie had been dead for between eight and 36 hours.
Clarke initially denied the unlawful killing of her vulnerable daughter but changed her plea to guilty on 10 January, days before the case was due to go to trial.
Her former partner Robert Bruce, 45, from Rothwell in Leeds, was charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult, but this was later dropped.
Sentencing Clarke to nine years and seven months for gross negligent manslaughter, Judge Amanda Yip said: "You are responsible for Debbie's death.
“You were her mother, she lived with you and you were also paid as her carer.
"You have at times continued to minimise your responsibility... You say you did your best. Not only did you not do your best, but you must have done absolutely nothing to care for her.
"Instead, you simply abandoned her to die alone, in pain, without nourishment, in the most awful state. The pain she must have felt is apparent."
Ms Mugridge said: "Debbie was a happy child growing up, but I didn't feel she got the attention and affection she deserved.
She loved horses and she would often stand in the mirror brushing her long hair. All she wanted was love and affection from her mother. Unfortunately, Elaine never gave it to her."
Clarke must serve at least two thirds of her prison sentence before she is eligible for release, after which she will remain on licence.
