Couple whose daughter accidentally hanged herself after they locked her up for 12 hours jailed for just ONE year

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:04 AM on 10th April 2010

The parents of an eight-year-old girl who died after being locked up in a 'revolting and squalid' bedroom were jailed for a year yesterday.

A court heard that Charlotte Avenall, who had severe learning difficulties, was shut in her room for at least 12 hours each night.

Her mother Susan Moody, 24, and stepfather Simon Moody, 33, claimed it was for her own safety as she was a sleepwalker.

But the arrangement meant she had to use a chest of drawers as a toilet. Her parents made no attempt to clean the room.

The squalor was uncovered after Charlotte accidentally strangled herself with a window cord last September. Police said they had never seen a room so filthy.

Charlotte had been known to social services and other welfare officials since birth and an inquiry has been launched into their actions.

Incredibly, Nottingham Crown Court was told, social workers knew Charlotte was locked in the room, but said they thought it was only while her parents slept.

Social services had last visited the family three months before Charlotte died. When officials called at the terraced house in Mansfield in August, after the neglect started, nobody was at home.

No follow-up appointment was made, despite staff at Charlotte's school raising concerns.

The court heard that Mrs Moody claimed she had been suffering from a kidney infection and had left all responsibility for Charlotte to her husband.

But she had nevertheless offered to become a surrogate mother for a family in Manchester in exchange for £10,000.

Prosecutor William Harbage told the court that, in contrast to the squalor of Charlotte's bedroom, the Moodys regularly cleaned out the tanks of their pet spiders and lizards.

He said: 'It's beyond the comprehension of any parent, indeed any normal person, how a mother or father could allow a child to spend a single night in that room.'

The couple, who claimed £1,300 a month in benefits, admitted child cruelty, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years.

The 12-month sentence was attacked last night by the child protection charity Kidscape, which branded the case horrific.

Director Claude Knights said: 'It is a deplorable story of neglect which most people would say borders on child abuse and 12 months seems extremely lenient.

Social services knew they had a high-risk child on their radar, but it appears there were no spontaneous visits that might have prevented her suffering and death.'

The court heard that Mrs Moody was a 16-year-old in foster care when she became pregnant with Charlotte.

Social services and other education and welfare officials had continued contact with the mother and daughter after it was discovered that the baby had been born with a section of her brain missing.

Charlotte's teachers had alerted social services last March after they became concerned at her filthy condition and dress.

But her parents were not visited for another three months.

Chris Few, chairman of Nottinghamshire's Safeguarding Children Board, said last night a serious case review was still being completed.

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1264851/Girl-8-hanged-home-locked-squalid-filthy-bedroom-12-hours-night.html