Two parents living in Engis, Liège, have been sentenced to 18 months in prison, after being found guilty of intentionally starving their daughter between the years 2013-2016, reports Belgian media.
The couple appeared at the Huy criminal court this Wednesday and were given an 18-month sentence. Additionally, they have received a suspended sentence of a year.
The first signs of malnutrition were observed when the child, aged three, entered school. Here, the teaching staff quickly raised concerns over the girl’s physical condition and behaviour. She weighed only 8kg and would rush to food when it was given to her, according to her school-teacher.
Eventually, the child’s grandmother intervened, taking her to hospital in August 2016.
In addition to their prison sentence, the parents have been ordered to pay a sum of 1,000 euro to the child’s lawyer and temporary guardian. The money is a form of compensation for the damage inflicted upon the child. It will be placed into an account which the child shall have access to upon turning 18.
Madeleine Fletcher
The Brussels Times
