An inquiry heard today from a mother who said she had “no shame” for the awful abuse of her baby that resulted in her demise and kept her in a “grubby” living room.
Lauren Wade, 2, was abandoned by Margaret Wade, 41, and Marie Sweeney, 40, to starve to death in their Glasgow Sighthill apartment.
A judge was informed that the youngster had thousands of head lice and was dangerously underweight due to months of improper nutrition and care.
The girl was discovered to be “unresponsive” on March 20, 2015; she passed just 30 minutes after being admitted to the hospital.
The paramedics found a “skinny and unclean” Lauren with a soggy diaper, hairless areas, and a cover that was infested with lice and fleas.
Wade advised nurses. Although Lauren had been battling a virus for a few days, a postmortem found the toddler had suffered from “extreme neglect.”
Lauren’s death was attributed to “complications with malnutrition,” the High Court in Glasgow heard.
The two were sentenced to six years and four months in prison in 2019, though Miss Wade was released in March and Miss Sweeney will be eligible for parole in October.
Glasgow Sheriff Court today opened a five-week long fatal accident inquiry (FAI).
The two, who had been charged with Lauren’s murder, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of failing to take care of the infant between June 2014 and March 2015.
Wade’s two older daughters’ primary school had voiced concerns about her handling their head lice treatment, it was revealed during the hearing.
Sharon McIntyre, a 52-year-old school nurse, claimed that she paid Wade’s apartment an unannounced visit in June 2014 after the mother had canceled a scheduled visit.
The witness was asked by prosecutor Selina Brown if she had explained to Wade why she was there.
I told her it was to talk about the kids and head lice in the family,’ she retorted.
Mom didn’t want me to enter the apartment,
Although she was able to convince them to let her in, the witness claimed she was told the apartment was a “mess.”
Mrs. McIntyre reported that toys and shoes were scattered down the hallway, calling it “untidy.”
When I entered the living room, there was a mattress on the floor in front of the TV, and there was a big pile of clothes on and behind the sofa, the woman continued.
The cot for Lauren was also present in the living room.
The location was filthy, if not chaotic.
The nurse continued, “I recall Lauren attempting to crawl up on my lap, but I attempted to keep her off because she was ‘grubby’ and I didn’t want her crawling on me.”
She claimed that at the time, she had not noticed if Lauren had head lice.
The eyewitness remembered seeing a different woman enter the living area and approach Wade to discuss smokes.
Wade, according to her, informed her that it was her cousin.
You were unaware that she had a partner at the time, Miss Brown?
No, said Miss McIntyre.
Miss Brown: “Would you have brought her up in the conversation if you knew this was her partner?”
Yes, Miss McIntyre said.
The witness claimed Wade was told to “handle herself” after declining assistance for treating head lice.
When Miss Brown questioned Miss McIntyre about Wade’s ability to cope, she answered: “At that moment, probably not.”
Miss McIntyre referred Wade to social work and the Positive Parenting Program (PPP) after the visit, the hearing was informed.
Yvonne Adams, a 55-year-old deputy head teacher, remembered a meeting she had with Wade at the school.
She explained, “I thought she was in a vulnerable position as well. A head louse was crawling across mom’s forehead and my table.”
Before Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull, the hearing is still ongoing.