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• An unnamed mother in Cheshire, England, was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison for "extreme neglect" after her 3-year-old daughter of hers was found to have been living in a drawer under a bed, the BBC reported.
The mother hid the child from her siblings and even from a boyfriend, who discovered her in 2023 after hearing her cry when the mom was away.
The court said she was severely malnourished, looking more like a 7-month-old baby, and had a cleft palate, matted hair and other deformities.
The mother told police she had not realized she was pregnant and was "really scared" when she gave birth, calling the child "not part of the family."
Judge Steven Everett said he could not "remember a case as bad as this in my 46 years." [BBC, 11/26/2024]
• Three generations of a family in Palm Coast, Florida, celebrated Black Friday by shoplifting $400 worth of cosmetics and alcohol from a Target store, the Miami Herald reported.
A 76-year-old woman, her 54-year-old daughter and a juvenile granddaughter were arrested after a Target loss specialist saw the juvenile putting items in her backpack, police said.
The two adults were charged with theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor; the girl was turned over to her father. [Miami Herald, 12/4/2024]