Mansfield woman’s daughter found filthy, hungry and naked in squalid drug den

Lucy Woodcock, prosecuting, said officers were called to the woman’s address after concerns were raised and, when entry was finally allowed, the property was found “in a very poor state.”

“It was filthy, covered in rubbish and food waste,” she said. “There were no facilities to wash, no heating, and there was evidence of drug use.”

The girl was described as dirty, with “large amounts of earwax” and head lice, when she was found naked and hiding under a fleece blanket on a dirty bed.

She told police she hadn’t been fed and talked about her father “giving things in small packages to friends.”

The child was taken into protective custody, said Ms Woodcock.

The woman, who can’t be named for legal reasons, admitted “her standards of housekeeping had slipped” but maintained she had fed, bathed and clothed the child when she was interviewed by the police.

She also told police she wasn't aware of any drug taking under her roof.

Morgan Hogarth, mitigating, said the defendant is of previous good character.

“In the intervening period of time a lot has happened,” he said, adding that a special guardianship order has been made and her daughter is now cared for by a relative.

He said she had no drug issues prior to starting a relationship with the child's father but developed a problem after it started.

“She is now clean of drugs and is not even on Subutex or Methadone,” Mr Hogarth said, adding that his client now lives with a relative and is working.

The defendant admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a child when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The case was adjourned until November 26 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service.

Ian Pridham, mitigating for her co-defendant who also cannot be named, said his client is currently on remand and awaiting sentence for drugs and burglary charges following a trial at the crown court.