Mother Jenni Wilmott standing trial for manslaughter after alleged horrific treatment of daughter Jasmine, who later died by suicide
Before her daughter’s death a mother’s alleged horror care involved forcing her to sleep in a tent, violent assaults and making up medical conditions, a court has heard.
A mother is accused of causing her daughter’s suicide by horrific treatment, including detaining her in her bedroom, assaulting her and making up false medical conditions, a court has heard.
Jenni Wilmott, 56, is standing trial in the Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to multiple charges, including manslaughter, criminal neglect and assault.
The charges arise from the 2018 death of Ms Wilmott’s daughter, Jasmine, who took her own life.
On Wednesday, Jemma Litster, prosecuting said Ms Wilmott showed an “overarching resentment” towards Jasmine throughout her life and allegedly resulted in her failing to provide her with adequate food, clothing and shelter.
The court heard it was alleged Jasmine was underfed in Ms Wilmott’s care, weighing only 32kgs at the age of 15.
“Further Jenni Wilmott failed to provide adequate conditions of personal safety, by assaulting her physically and verbally, causing others to hit her,” Ms Litster said.
Ms Litster said Ms Wilmott also allegedly subjected Jasmine to cruel punishments, such as cutting her hair short, making her do excessive chores in her underwear and “treating her like a burden”.
The court also heard Ms Wilmott allegedly subjected Jasmine to “unnecessary and degrading” controls and treatment.
“Ms Wilmott described her as having a number of conditions, which she did not, starting with reactive attachment disorder and also later autism spectrum disorder,” Ms Litster said.
“She also said she had eating disorders and would steal food.
“She detained her in her bedrooms as a result.”
The court heard Jasmine was allegedly made to stay in a “freezing cold” laundry and in a tent at properties the family lived at.
Ms Litster said Jasmine had her own bedroom at the Flagstaff Hill property, which is where she died by suicide, but the door was allegedly alarmed and the windows were locked.
The court heard Ms Wilmott’s alleged assaults on Jasmine included a neighbour hearing “slapping sounds”, as if she was being hit with a strap or something similar for several minutes and being dragged by the hair and punched on another occasion.
Ms Litster said Jasmine ran away from home in June 2018 in response to allegedly being assaulted by Ms Wilmott after she was found using social media.
However, she was returned home by police.
Ms Litster said Ms Wilmott’s alleged criminal negligence was “so significant and overwhelming” that it was the substantial cause behind Jasmine’s death.
The trial, before Justice Sandi McDonald, continues.
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Originally published as Mother Jenni Wilmott standing trial for manslaughter after alleged horrific treatment of daughter Jasmine, who later died by suicide
