By Yvonne Ardley
A now 20-year-old woman who was called as a defence witness in the trial of her Floreat parents who prosecutors say almost killed her left court today without giving evidence.
She had planned to speak in their support but never made it into the courtroom, with the jury told “there’s been a change of mind”.
Her mother and father are accused of starving her during her teenage years to keep her as their “little girl” and are also accused of ignoring pleas from dance teachers to seek medical help.
The man and wife, who cannot be named to protect their daughter, were arrested and charged with having care or control of a child engaged in conduct that was reckless after complaints were made by dance school teachers that lead to Department of Communities involvement in 2020.
By the time she was admitted to hospital - just shy of her 17th birthday - she allegedly weighed just 27 kilograms.
Prosecutors claim she was also treated like a small child, showered with soft toys and princess dresses. But her mother on Thursday told the court those toys were old when photographed by police. She and her husband deny restricting their daughter’s diet, claiming she had always been skinny and ate pasta for dinner most nights.
A man and a woman are on trial over the emaciated condition of their daughter whose age they lied about.
The trial is now in its final stages with one defence witness to be called on Friday before lawyers make their final arguments to the jury.
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