A teenage girl was found in a skeletal condition, and doctors warned she could have died without urgent medical care.
Her parents, both in their forties, were convicted in Perth for neglecting their daughter between 2019 and 2021. The court found that they failed to provide enough food, medical care, and proper development.

In 2021, at 17 years old, the girl weighed only 27.3 kg. Her father had also forged her birth certificate. On Friday, the WA District Court sentenced him to six years and six months in prison, while the mother received five years.
Before the sentencing, the girl pleaded with the court not to jail her parents, saying she would become homeless without them. She even blamed herself for their legal troubles.
Judge Linda Black said the girl, who was a child at the time, was taken into state care after being hospitalized in 2021. The parents had interfered with her treatment.

The girl was vegan, homeschooled, and trained in dance, which was her only social activity outside the home.
When her ballet teacher expressed concern about her weight, her mother dismissed the issue. The girl had never started menstruation, despite being in puberty. The father insisted she was healthy, had a good diet, and was getting stronger.
The parents claimed she ate organic pears, organic strawberries, minestrone soup, and ice cream. A doctor, however, was deeply concerned and urged them to take her to the hospital immediately.

By late 2020, complaints from dance teachers and parents led to an investigation by Western Australia’s Department of Communities. The parents lied about their daughter’s age and health to avoid scrutiny.
Judge Black said, “I cannot accept that you needed someone to tell you your daughter was starving.”
They refused medical tests, even after being told she was at risk of death. Her growth was stunted, and at 17 years old, she weighed the same as a 9-year-old.

After being forced to go to the hospital, she was diagnosed with severe malnutrition. Doctors inserted a feeding tube for five days and developed a meal plan.
The parents opposed the treatment, arguing that their daughter was naturally small. They even supervised her toilet visits in the hospital.
During her 50-day stay, she gained 7kg and grew 3.4cm. However, staff noticed she was treated like a young child. She watched children’s TV shows, despite showing no cognitive issues in schoolwork.
For her 17th birthday, her parents gave her a Barbie doll and wanted to arrange a Disney Princess visit.
Judge Black told the parents, “Your daughter was 17 but was watching children’s cartoons and having princess parties.”

The judge also said the parents showed no remorse, avoided taking responsibility, and tried to hide the truth.
Despite this, the daughter wrote a letter to the court saying she loved her parents and could not cope without them.
Judge Black blamed the parents, saying, “You have created a child who cannot function as an adult at over 20 years old.”