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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Connor Gordon & Jon Brady & Ryan Merrifield

Evil mum who felt 'no guilt' for starving toddler to death in filthy flat freed early

An evil mum jailed for leaving her toddler to starve to death in a filthy flat has been released early from prison.

Margaret Wade subjected two-year-old daughter Lauren to improper care for months to the extent she was left "skinny and dirty" and infested with lice when she died.

The 41-year-old parent - who was convicted of neglect along with her partner, Marie Sweeney, 40 - at the time told police she had "no guilt" over the child's death.

The couple were both jailed for six years and four months each in 2019 - but Wade was allowed to walk out of prison last month a free woman, reports the Daily Record.

It comes as a Fatal Accident Inquiry will uncover the horrifying details that led to child's death later this summer.

The toddler had been subjected to months of neglect (Daily Record)

An emergency call had been made on March 20, 2015 to the couple's home in Sighthill, Glasgow, where paramedics found Lauren "unresponsive".

She was so thin her shoulders and backbone were visible through her skin, the palms of her hands and feet were black and her baby teeth were decaying.

She was wearing a sodden nappy and her scalp had bald patches and a severe lice infestation.

Margaret Wade has been released from prison early (PA)

Despite being rushed to hospital, she was pronounced dead around 30 minutes later.

The toddler had been lying on a cover riddled with lice and fleas and was so dirty that medics had to later clean and decontaminate the ambulance.

Wade and Sweeney pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of neglecting the toddler between June 2014 and March 2015.

Marie Sweeney was also jailed (PA)

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) will take place in July at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

At a preliminary hearing on Friday, Selena Brown, representing the Crown, stated the FAI could last five weeks.

She added: "This can be reduced a significant amount with agreement on background.

Glasgow Sheriff Court in Scotland (SWNS.com)

"There are 22 witnesses at the moment."

Lee Doyle, representing Sweeney, said: "Myself and the agents for Miss Wade have applied for legal aid.

"The start date does not place difficulty on me and this is a case I will instruct counsel in.

"My client is still in custody and Miss Wade isn't.

"Both have done three-and-a-half years and Miss Wade was released last month - my client is due for parole in October.

"I imagine she would want to participate and her what's been said," he added.

Darren Fleming, representing Wade, was asked by sheriff principal Craig Turnbull whether she will appear.

He replied: "She doesn't wish to, she was released on parole at the start of March after a lengthy hearing."

Sheriff Turnbull fixed a further hearing for the end of next month.

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