Autistic Son Imprisoned

From the BBC:

“Sheffield couple found guilty of imprisoning autistic son”

A mother and stepfather who kept their starving autistic son locked in a "disgusting" attic bedroom have been found guilty of false imprisonment. Matthew Langley, 22, was "close to death" inside the vomit and faeces-covered room, weighing just six stone (39kg) and severely dehydrated. Lorna Hewitt, 43, and husband Craig Hewitt denied keeping him captive at their Sheffield home for seven months. But both were found guilty following a trial at the city's crown court. The pair, of Walkley Road, were also convicted of causing or allowing a vulnerable adult to suffer serious physical harm. Following the verdicts, Judge Michael Slater told the defendants to expect a prison term "of some length" when they are sentenced on 18 February. Jurors heard Mr Langley, who also had learning difficulties and suffered from irritable bowel syndrome, double incontinence and arthritis, had become so extremely malnourished and dehydrated that his "life was in the balance" by the time he was found on 2 June 2020. Paramedics called out to reports Mr Langley had collapsed alerted police, who found faeces and vomit over the floor, bedding, and dormer window of the attic room, prosecutors said.

'skin and bone' Prosecutor Nicholas Campbell QC said officers had described "the smell, the overflowing bin and the presence of buzzing flies", and noticed a lock on the bedroom door with a key on the outside. Mr Langley was in a "pitiable state" - unable to walk, with bruises and abrasions suggesting he had been "crawling on all fours" in his room. He had suffered an acute injury to his kidney and his sodium levels were "dangerously" elevated due to being deprived of water and other fluids for some time, the court heard. His sodium levels were "so high that they could shut his brain down and kill him", the prosecutor added. When he was found by ambulance staff, Mr Langley weighed 6st 2lbs (39kg). But seven months earlier on 7 November 2019, he had weighed 8st 6lbs (53.6kg). He was taken to hospital and a nurse found he was "all skin and bone, lacking muscle and fat. His skin was dry and appeared dehydrated. He was soaked in urine and was covered in faeces, both dry and fresh", jurors were told. "The room was in a disgusting state, markedly worse than the rest of the house," Mr Campbell said.

The court heard Mr Langley had not been seen by anyone outside of the household during those seven months and, in February 2019, his mum and stepdad had also stopped him from attending college. They had also cancelled medical appointments scheduled for later in the year. Mr Hewitt, 42, told paramedics his stepson had "an eating disorder", while Mrs Hewitt claimed her son had not been well for a few days, that she had found him collapsed in his room and her husband had brought him downstairs, the court heard. Giving evidence Mrs Hewitt told jurors she was aware her son was unwell but "had not realised how ill he was". Mr Hewitt claimed there were locks on all the doors of the house when he moved in because it had previously been student accommodation. He told police his stepson was "only locked in at night" to stop him from going downstairs and setting off the burglar alarms, as was the case a few years ago, the jury heard.

The court was told Matthew was a "drain on their resources". Mr Campbell said: "As the pressures grew, it may be that they were prepared to gamble with his health, in order to have him taken off their hands." Det Sgt Susannah Taylor, from South Yorkshire Police, said: "This was an horrific case in which the victim could well have lost his life as his organs were shutting down. "He had to be placed into intensive care in a life-threatening condition. Thankfully he has since made a full recovery and is now getting the support and care he needs."

^ Some people are just plain evil. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-59915649