The nine-year-old boy was so poorly treated he developed a condition called psychosocial dwarfism.
This left him significantly shorter than his six-year-old brother, prosecutors told a judge.Social workers called in to work with the single mother discovered that the boy was not being given breakfast, was riddled with lice and could not remember the last time he saw a doctor.
He had a decaying molar in his mouth and said that his 28-year-old mother had never taught him how to brush his teeth.
Daniel Sawyer, prosecuting, said 'In 2008 police had searched her home regarding an unrelated matter and discovered the three bedroom house was untidy and grubby.'
'Social workers were called in and interviewed the boy at school. They found he had ingrained dirt on his palms and scratches on his forearms that came from a puppy.'
'He was extremely short at the age of nine and significantly shorter than his six year old brother, for which the most likely diagnosis is psychosocial dwarfism.'
'He made no eye contact with the social workers and looked at the floor the whole time.'
'Every night they would go to McDonald's and have burgers, chips or chicken nuggets. He did not have breakfast and went to school hungry.'
'He did not get regular baths and went to school smelling of urine and faeces.'
'When he went to live with his father he would eat his food very quickly and exhibit hoarding behaviour.'
'At four in the morning he would get up, take food and hide it in places.'
Psychosocial dwarfism is caused by extreme stress and causes the body to stop producing a growth hormone.
Studies have revealed that when children are removed from the stressful situation their height catches up with that of normal healthy youngsters.
Robert Bryan, defending, told the court: 'This is a woman who was not being deliberately abusive. She is inadequate in many ways.'
'Mothers should look after their children and those who harm them should be punished, but if there is some underlying reason for that then it needs to be treated.'
'She is still young and struggles to cope with the children on her own.'
The woman, from Portsmouth, Hants, admitted one charge of neglect at Winchester Crown Court. She was given a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.
After the hearing prosecutor Mr Sawyer said since the boy had been rehoused with his father and stepmother he had begun to grow again.
| Posted: at | |
TRENDING GISTS 
UK Police Recover Body Of 16Yr Old British-Nigerian Boy Who Drowned In A Lake
PHOTOS: Young Woman Brutally Murdered By Suspected Ritualists, Priv@te Part Removed In Ogun
Lovely Video Of Singer Davido And His Wife, Chioma Vibing To His Song
Woman Slams Her Husband For Allegedly Having Unprotected S3x With Random Girls After Publicly Apologizing To Her
Actress, Laide Bakare Crowned UN Ambassador Of Peace
Actress, Uche Montana Celebrates Birthday With New Stunning Photos
VIDEO: President Tinubu Conferred With a Chieftaincy Title in Anambra State
Passengers Killed, Vehicles Set Ablaze As Gunmen Attack Commercial Bus in Imo