A mother and stepfather have been found guilty of neglect and false imprisonment for locking up their autistic son in a loft, starving him to the point of death. 

A trial at Sheffield Court, England, found Lorna Hewitt, 43 and her husband Craig Hewitt, 42, guilty, and they were convicted for the gross mistreatment of Matthew Langley, their son, between November 2019, and June 2020. 

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After a 999 emergency call, Langley was found by paramedics, who discovered the boy in a severely dehydrated state. The courts were told that though Matthew was six feet tall, he only weighed six stones. Further, the locked room where the boy was kept was covered with human faeces, rubbish, and vomit. Food used to be delivered to him in a box. 

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The prosecutor described his state as “pitiable” saying he was unable to walk, had bruises and abrasions suggesting he would crawl on all fours in the room. Further, his finger and toenails were long enough to hurt him, while his teeth were severely stained with orange plaque. 

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Not only had he suffered an acute kidney injury, but his sodium levels were also dangerously high, due to water and other liquid deprivation over long periods. Health officials stated he was only fed a few hundred calories each day and when he was taken to the hospital, a nurse described his condition, saying, “all skin and bone, lacking muscle and fat. His skin was dry and appeared dehydrated. He was soaked in urine and was covered in faeces, both dry and fresh”. 

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South Yorkshire’s Protecting Vulnerable People Team handled the case and Temporary Detective Sergeant Susannah Taylor addressed the incident saying, “This was a horrific case in which the victim could well have lost his life as his organs were shutting down. He had to be placed into intensive care in a life-threatening condition. Thankfully he has since made a full recovery and is now getting the support and care he needs.” 

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Lorna and Craig Hewitt have been denied bail and their sentencing is on February 18.