This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-38149291
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Poppy Widdison death: Mother 'fed' daughter sedatives | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A mother fed her daughter sedatives in order to spend time with her boyfriend, a court has been told. | A mother fed her daughter sedatives in order to spend time with her boyfriend, a court has been told. |
| Poppy Widdison, four, from Grimsby, died from a cardiac arrest in June 2013 at Sheffield Children's Hospital. | Poppy Widdison, four, from Grimsby, died from a cardiac arrest in June 2013 at Sheffield Children's Hospital. |
| Her mother Michala Pyke, 37, and Ms Pyke's partner John Rytting, 40, both deny child cruelty. | Her mother Michala Pyke, 37, and Ms Pyke's partner John Rytting, 40, both deny child cruelty. |
| Opening the case against them at Hull Crown Court, prosecutors said Poppy had ingested a variety of drugs for up to six months before her death. | Opening the case against them at Hull Crown Court, prosecutors said Poppy had ingested a variety of drugs for up to six months before her death. |
| Read more about this and other stories from across East Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire | Read more about this and other stories from across East Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire |
| Prosecutor David Gordon said the drugs included sedatives, heroin, methadone and ketamine. | Prosecutor David Gordon said the drugs included sedatives, heroin, methadone and ketamine. |
| Mr Gordon said text messages between the couple referred to the child having a "blue Smartie" and going to sleep, which he said was a reference to the sedative diazepam. | Mr Gordon said text messages between the couple referred to the child having a "blue Smartie" and going to sleep, which he said was a reference to the sedative diazepam. |
| "We say the defendants are just wanting to get on with their love life, wanting to enjoy each other's company and it may be this young girl was something of an encumbrance," he said. | "We say the defendants are just wanting to get on with their love life, wanting to enjoy each other's company and it may be this young girl was something of an encumbrance," he said. |
| Drugs 'lying around' | Drugs 'lying around' |
| Mr Gordon said: "She regarded her child, her own daughter, as something of a nuisance and interfering with Miss Pyke's enjoyment of her relationship with Mr Rytting." | Mr Gordon said: "She regarded her child, her own daughter, as something of a nuisance and interfering with Miss Pyke's enjoyment of her relationship with Mr Rytting." |
| The exact cause of Poppy's death is not known but Mr Gordon said experts agreed there was a a long-period of ill-treatment and neglect. | The exact cause of Poppy's death is not known but Mr Gordon said experts agreed there was a a long-period of ill-treatment and neglect. |
| Quantities of prescription and controlled drugs were found at Mr Rytting's house in Grimsby when it was searched. | Quantities of prescription and controlled drugs were found at Mr Rytting's house in Grimsby when it was searched. |
| The prosecutor said: "It was clear that various types of drug were simply left lying around the house." | The prosecutor said: "It was clear that various types of drug were simply left lying around the house." |
| Both defendants have pleaded guilty to child cruelty by allowing Poppy to live in a house where prescribed and controlled drugs were unsecured and within reach. | Both defendants have pleaded guilty to child cruelty by allowing Poppy to live in a house where prescribed and controlled drugs were unsecured and within reach. |
| Miss Pyke has also admitted child cruelty by emotional abuse. | Miss Pyke has also admitted child cruelty by emotional abuse. |
| Both Miss Pyke and Mr Rytting deny one count of child cruelty by encouraging Poppy to ingest prescription and/or controlled drugs and one count of child cruelty by assault causing bruising. | Both Miss Pyke and Mr Rytting deny one count of child cruelty by encouraging Poppy to ingest prescription and/or controlled drugs and one count of child cruelty by assault causing bruising. |
| Miss Pyke denies two charges of possessing methadone with intent to supply and supplying the same drug. | Miss Pyke denies two charges of possessing methadone with intent to supply and supplying the same drug. |
| Mr Rytting denies possessing cannabis with intent to supply but admitted one count of importing drugs and two counts of supplying controlled drugs. | Mr Rytting denies possessing cannabis with intent to supply but admitted one count of importing drugs and two counts of supplying controlled drugs. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |