Boy, 13, left to starve in dad’s care

A DISABLED boy lost eight kilograms in three months after being starved by his father, the Southport District Court was told yesterday.

Judge Paul Smith said the photos of the 13-year-old were so shocking he looked like a “concentration camp victim”. He was less than 15kg.

“Pictures showed he looked like skin and bone, his eyes were sunken and you could see his pelvic bone.”

The boy spent almost a month in hospital recovering. He did not have any ongoing medical issues from his mistreatment, the court was told.

The boy’s 35-year-old father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to provide necessaries.

He was sentenced to two years probation and has been ordered to undergo a parenting program. The maximum penalty for the charge is three years.

Crown prosecutor Phil McCarthy told the court the boy’s mother had agreed to leave the teen, who suffers form autism and severe epilepsy, to give herself respite from his continued care.

He said the boy needed to be fed six pureed meals a day.

Over a period of two weeks the mother showed her former partner how to prepare the meal, the correct epilepsy medication to give and how to clean the boy, the court heard.

The boy was 23kg when he was left with the man in July 2016 and dropped to just 14.8kg by the time he was taken to hospital on September 25, 2016.

The mum called paramedics as soon as she saw the boy.

Medical examinations showed the boy was severely malnourished, had not been given his epilepsy medication and needed to be fed nasally until he gained his strength.

In his sentencing, Mr Smith said the pictures of the boy were shocking.

Defence lawyer Nick McGhee said the man’s IQ was just 65.

“He was never in a position to properly probably care for the boy but he gave it a go and he failed. His failure has ended in tragic circumstances.”

Mr McGhee said one medical report showed the man had difficulties caring for himself.

The man is living with his sister and is on a disability support pension.

PICTURES SHOWED HE LOOKED LIKE SKIN AND BONE, HIS EYES WERE SUNKEN AND YOU COULD SEE HIS PELVIC BONE