Mum starved daughter with Down’s syndrome to death – tragic Debbie weighed 3st 10lbs & ‘wasn’t recognisable as female’

A YOUNG woman who was slowly starved to death by her evil mum "wasn't immediately recognisable as female" by horrified paramedics, a court has heard.

Debbie Leitch, who had Down's syndrome, weighed just 3st 10lbs when she died in a room filled with takeaway boxes and used nappies at her home in Blackpool, Lancs, in 2019.

A post-mortem revealed the 24-year-old's cause of death was starvation and neglect. She also had an extensive scabies skin infection.

Medics believe she may have died a full 36 hours before her "lazy and selfish" mum Elaine Clarke called for paramedics.

Sickening details of Debbie's abuse were revealed today as Clarke, 49, was sentenced to nine years and seven months in prison after admitting manslaughter by gross negligence.

A judge said Clarke "abandoned Debbie to die in pain, without nourishment and in the most awful surroundings."

Medics found Debbie's body on August 29, 2019, after being called by the ambulance service.

It was heard that she wasn't immediately "recognisable as a young female" as her face was covered with scabs and thickened skin.

The room had dried faeces in it and there were live maggots on the floor.

HORROR DEATH

Debbie's jumper and trousers had mites on them, and when her clothes were cut away, they pulled off skin which had adhered to the fabric.

Her trousers were soiled and her skin infection had caused her hair to fall out.

Judge Amanda Yip said: "Her hair was falling out.

"Scabies mites had been allowed to breed and multiply. Her skin was crusted.

"Her cause of death was neglect and emaciation."

Heartbreakingly, the court heard Debbie "idolised" her vile mother. The youngster had a boyfriend and went to college.

But Clarke began to neglect the young woman, keeping her shut away in a filthy bedroom.

Social workers visited, but the defendant, who bought shoes and handbags while her daughter starved, didn't keep appointments with them.

'SHE CRIED FOR YOU'

Shockingly, the case was then closed.

Debbie's cousin Sammy Mugridge visited her in her room shortly before she died.

"The sight of her in the room will live with me forever," Ms Mugridge said.

"The stench was unbelievable. I can only describe it as the stench of death.

"Debbie was so skinny. Her hair had been hacked off, her skin looked like raw flesh. It was like something out of a horror movie."

Judge Yip told Clarke that her daughter had been "struggling to walk".

"She cried for you," she said.

"The family were horrified and said if you did not look after her they would report you to the authorities.

EVIL MUM CAGED

"You reassured them she was now up, eating and looked after."

After that, Clarke scrubbed Debbie raw in an "excruciating" shower, it was heard.

The court heard the victim "screamed" throughout the wash.

Neighbours said they heard the tragic youngster sobbing for her mum in the days before she died.

Six people were arrested in connection with her death.

Clarke changed her not guilty plea just ten days before she was due to go on trial.

Her former partner Robert Bruce, 45, was charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult. The charge was later dropped.

DAD'S DEVASTATION

Debbie's dad Thomas Leitch, of Hastings in East Sussex, told Sun Online he learned of his beloved daughter's death over Facebook.

"My ex-wife Amber was on the phone to her sister, who is friends with Elaine's sister," he said.

"Elaine put a comment on Facebook.

"That's how I found out. I had to contact the police in Blackpool to find out what had happened."

Thomas immediately took responsibility for organising the funeral.

But he claims he was not entitled to a funeral grant and Elaine made the decision to bury Debbie in a pauper's grave.

He said: "I managed to get half of her ashes and I buried her in a local church, right next to my dad.

"At least I was able to do that for her."

He said Debbie "loved just playing and being the centre of attention".

"Every time she saw me her face lit up," Thomas said.

"All I can do now is try to remember the good times, but the good times have been marred forever by what happened."