Community order for Welshpool mum who left sick son home alone

A Powys mother who left her seriously ill son at home while she went out at night to see her boyfriend has been given a community order and ordered by a court to go on a parenting course.

Doctors who treated the teenager for meningitis said he could have died, Welshpool magistrates were told yesterday. The court heard, however, that the woman from the Welshpool area would not have left him if she had known he was so ill.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given a 12-month community order, with a supervision requirement, including a parenting course, and told to pay £85 costs.

She had admitted child neglect at an earlier hearing.

Mrs Karen Kirkwood, prosecuting, said on July 9 the boy and his mother had visited a medical practice after he had complained of chest problems. The doctor prescribed antibiotics and diagnosed a chest infection with an inflamed throat.

The mother was told to pick up the prescription from the town's pharmacist but never did.

That evening the defendant went out for the night and left her son at home with his friend.

Ambulance

She did not return until 9am the following morning.

"She attempted to call Shropdoc but failed to answer the phone when they called back twice," said Mrs Kirkham

Ambulance staff attended just after noon the following day July 10 and found the boy face down and semi conscious in the living room with a rash all over his body.

He was taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and diagnosed with meningitis before being rushed to the intensive care unit at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Mr Robert Hanratty, defending, said his client took her son to the doctor the day before the evening she went out because she was concerned about his health but was told there was nothing to worry about.

She went back on July 9, when his condition deteriorated, and was told he had a non-serious virus and was prescribed mild antibiotics.

"My client accepts that she should have actively pursued medical help for her son but she didn't and it led to a two to three hour delay in her son receiving medical treatment.

"But she never deliberately did anything to expose her son to harm. She would never have left her son if she thought he was seriously ill."

By Anwen Evans