Vegan mum starved toddler to death with diet of raw vegetables, fruit

A vegan mother has been sentenced after starving her youngest child to death through a raw diet of fruit and vegetables.

A Florida vegan mother has been found guilty of murdering her 18-month-old son after only feeding him raw fruits and vegetables.

Sheila O’Leary, 39, is facing life in prison after a jury convicted her on Wednesday of murder and a string of child abuse charges over the 2019 death of her toddler, Ezra O’Leary, the New York Post reported.

Sheila O’Leary, 39, is facing life in prison after a jury convicted her Wednesday of murdering her toddler son. Picture: New York Post

Her little boy weighed just 7.7 kilograms — more than three kilograms below average — when his parents noticed he had stopped breathing.

O’Leary and her husband, Ryan O’Leary, told police that Ezra followed a strict vegan diet — but that he was also breast fed.

They said the boy hadn’t eaten for about a week prior to his death and was having trouble sleeping.

An autopsy found the little boy died of malnutrition complications.

Prosecutors accused the mother of failing to seek proper medical care for her son when she realised he was ill.

“She chose to disregard his cries,” Assistant State lawyer Sara Miller said during closing arguments.

“She didn’t need a scale to see his bones. She didn’t need a scale to hear his cry.”

Sheila O’Leary and her husband, Ryan, were both arrested and charged over their son’s 2019 death. Picture: New York Post

O’Leary is facing life in prison after a jury found her guilty of starving the toddler to death. Picture: Fox4

Prosecutors added that the couple had also been neglecting their three other children — all under age 11 — when Ezra died.

“We’re here because their children were starving so much that the youngest starved to death,” Miller said.

O’Leary’s husband is scheduled to face trial on the same charges.

This article was originally published on NY Post and has been reproduced with permission.