UK mother jailed for hiding daughter in drawer for 3 years

Child found severely neglected and malnourished, living in isolation since birth

Dubai: A mother who kept her baby hidden in a drawer beneath her bed for nearly three years has been sentenced to prison for child cruelty.

The case in the UK, heard at Chester Crown Court, revealed shocking details of neglect and abuse that left the child physically, psychologically, and socially scarred.

The girl, discovered weeks before her third birthday at the family home in Cheshire, was found malnourished, dehydrated, and suffering from severe developmental delays. Her hair was matted, her skin covered in rashes, and she exhibited deformities caused by neglect.

The mother, whose identity has been withheld to protect the child, concealed the baby from her family, including her siblings and partner, by hiding her in a drawer of a divan bed. She fed the child inadequately — using a syringe to give her milky Weetabix — and never sought medical care for her cleft palate.

Shocking discovery

The truth came to light when the woman’s partner returned to her home one morning after she had left and heard noises coming from a bedroom. Upon investigation, he discovered the child and alerted relatives. Social services arrived later that day to find the girl sitting in the drawer.

A social worker on the scene described her horror at the situation, recounting how the mother showed no emotion and matter-of-factly admitted keeping her daughter in the drawer. “I was probably the only other face [the child] had seen apart from her mother’s,” the social worker said.

The court heard how the child had been kept isolated from the outside world, with no exposure to sunlight, fresh air, or social interaction. Her developmental age was assessed to be between 0 and 10 months when she was hospitalised.

‘A living death’

Sentencing the mother, Judge Steven Everett expressed outrage at her actions. “What you did defies belief,” he said. “You starved that little girl of love, affection, interaction, a proper diet, and medical attention. The consequences were catastrophic.”

He added that the child, described as an “intelligent little girl,” is now slowly recovering from what he called “a living death.”

Troubled background

During police interviews, the mother claimed she hadn’t known she was pregnant and was scared when she gave birth. She admitted the child was “not part of the family” and said she kept her hidden to prevent the child’s abusive father from discovering her existence.

The defence pointed to the mother’s mental health struggles, a volatile relationship with the child’s father, and challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 lockdown as contributing factors.

Despite these arguments, prosecutors emphasised the profound impact of the mother’s actions. Rachel Worthington, of CPS Mersey-Cheshire, said: “This child has never had a birthday or Christmas present. She hadn’t known daylight or fresh air and didn’t respond to her own name when found.”

Hope for recovery

The girl is now in foster care, where she is receiving the attention and support she was denied. In a statement, her foster carer described the heartbreaking moment they realised the child did not recognize her own name.

The mother pleaded guilty to four counts of child cruelty, including neglect, abandonment, and failure to seek medical care. Prosecutors expressed hope that the girl will recover and eventually lead a full life.

“This case is a tragic reminder of the importance of vigilance in safeguarding children,” Worthington added.

The mother’s other children, whom she was said to have cared for well, no longer live with her.