Several of the little boy’s teeth had exposed roots and abscesses and his home was full of flies, piles of rubbish and rotting food
A neglected five-year-old boy was found wandering alone a mile away from his fly-infested home, a court heard.
He later told his foster mother: “Santa doesn’t come to my house. I don’t know why, because I have been good.”
Several of the little boy’s teeth had exposed roots and abscesses and his home was full of flies, with piles of rubbish and rotting food, York Crown Court heard.
Despite warnings from his school, the boy’s parents neglected his welfare so much that several of his baby teeth had to be removed.
The boy’s 43-year-old mother and her 42-year-old partner, who had recently moved into the house, both pleaded guilty to two charges of child cruelty by not providing suitable dental care and suitable living accommodation.
The boy was rescued when he went missing overnight and police responded to his mother’s hysterical appeal to find him.
Officers mounted a search and a member of the public found the hungry boy wandering at least a mile from his home.
He had woken up, and walked out of the house.
Officers attending his home and found every surface and the sink in the kitchen piled high with dirty items.
The fridge was full of rotting food, there was no edible food and there was dog mess in the house and in the back yard, the court heard.
The prosecution told the court the boy was found and immediately put into foster care.
It emerged he didn’t know what a bath was for, or how he should be washed.
The child’s speech and general level of education were also considerably below the average for his age.
The boy’s bedroom had no toys or clothing, and various other items were piled in it. Its ceiling and that of another room were found to be in poor repair.
Six months on, the boy is now, according to his foster mother, “a lovely little boy, very chatty, open and likes to please people”, said prosecutor Miss Aisha Wadoodi.
He is doing well at school, but he never speaks about his family.
“This was serious long-term neglect,” said Miss Wadoodi.
According to the prosecution, the mother neglected the boy between September 1 2013, and August 2014, while the man neglected him between March and August.
Victoria Smith-Swain, representing the mother, said she was a loving and caring parent who had been suffering from depression at the time with no support from the child’s father.
She had had difficulty coping with the demands of bringing up her son and working in a shopping centre.
The case was adjourned for the mother to provide medical evidence of her mental condition.
Her partner’s lawyers have yet to give his mitigation. The couple will be sentenced next month at Leeds crown court.