Parents ‘ killed daughter, 16, in lockdown by letting weight soar to 23 stone’
A COUPLE killed their 16year-old daughter by allowing her weight to balloon to almost 23 stone as she lived ‘in conditions not fit for animals’ during lockdown, a court heard yesterday.
Kaylea Titford was allegedly neglected, left in a filthy bedroom and allowed to become morbidly obese in the last days of her tragically short life.
The spina bifida sufferer had been ‘ fiercely independent’ before schools closed during the pandemic, even taking part in PE lessons in her wheelchair.
But her parents allegedly allowed her weight to soar and her health to deteriorate as they left her alone in her adapted room and failed to keep her clean.
Kaylea, who also had hydrocephalus, a build-up of fluid on the brain, did not see a doctor in the nine months before she died despite a series of health problems, jurors were told, and had not been washed for weeks.
Her father, Alun Titford, 45, is accused of gross negligence manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child.
Kaylea was found dead in bed by her mother Sarah Lloyd- Jones on October 10, 2020, at their home in Newtown, Powys.
The 39- year- old has already pleaded guilty to the same charges, jurors were told at the start of Titford’s trial at Mold Crown Court.
The teenager was described as ‘funny and chatty’ by teachers.
But after schools closed to most pupils in March 2020 she was confined to her home, prosecutor Caroline Rees KC said.
At the time of her death, Kaylea was ‘living in conditions not fit for animals’ and was forced to use ‘puppy pads’ to go to the toilet on her urine- soaked floor, Ms Rees added.
‘She lived and died in squalor and degradation,’ she told the court.
Kaylea’s parents were alleged to have failed in their ‘ duty of care’ to get her to exercise and give her a healthy diet – as well as failing to keep her clean and ‘ medically safe’.
Kaylea was ‘ morbidly obese’ – weighing 22st 13lb (146kg) – when she died. More than 100 dead flies were found in her room when her body was found and her hair was matted, Ms Rees said.
A police officer called to the scene was ‘almost sick’ at the smell, the jury were told.
A pathologist concluded she died from inflammation and infection arising from obesity and its complications, combined with immobility.
Titford told police the family would have takeaways, including Chinese and Indian food and kebabs, five nights a week.
He claimed to be ‘shocked’ by his daughter’s death and said Kaylea was her mother’s responsibility, it was alleged.
But Ms Rees said her father ‘must have, or should have known’ about his daughter’s ‘degrading condition’ as he lived in the same house.
The removals worker blamed his ‘laziness’ for the state of Kaylea’s filth-ridden bedroom and told officers: ‘I’m not a very good dad.’
He said Lloyd- Jones was Kaylea’s primary carer – and claimed to have had no idea that she ‘wasn’t coping’.
Asked by police why her living environment was in such a state, Titford said: ‘Probably laziness on her mum and I’s behalf.’
But Ms Rees said the couple’s parenting failures were ‘ criminal’ and resulted in Kaylea’s death.
Titford denies manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child. The trial continues.
‘She lived and died in squalor’