Leeds House of Horror: Teenager allowed to ‘DECAY’ by family and left to die
A TEENAGE boy was left to 'rot to death' after being neglected by his mother, grandmother and sister, a court has heard.
Jordan Burling, 18, weighed less than six stones when he was discovered on a filthy inflatable mattress, wearing a soiled nappy and covered in pressure sores, Leeds Crown Court has heard.
The jury also heard how a search of the house ncovered the body of Dawn Cranston's newborn baby, which had been stuffed into a rucksack.
Jordan's body was described as being in a similar condition to those of prisoners held in Second World War extermination camps.
His mother Dawn Cranston, 45, sister Abigail Burling, 25, and grandmother Denise Cranston, 70, have been accused of his manslaughter.
What met the eyes of the paramedics was a shocking and disturbing scene
Prosecutor Nicholas Lumley QC said: “The fault lies with each of the accused. What met the eyes of the paramedics was a shocking and disturbing scene."
Mr Lumley said that the baby boy, who was found dead in a rucksack, had gone full term in the womb, but it was not known if he was born alive or dead.
He had attended local schools but his mother took him out of main stream education at the age of 16 so she could home-school him.
Mr Lumley said: “Jordan was lying, utterly helpless, on an inflatable mattress in a cluttered living room.
"He was little more than skin and bones, he weighed 37kg, less than six stones. He wore a soiled nappy under some pyjamas.
"The expert dietitian said they had never seen such malnutrition in 26 years and likened the condition of the body to that found in WWII extermination camps.
"His heart stopped, his life could not be saved; he expired in that living room."
For reasons which may never be understood, Jordan had been allowed to decay, to rot to death, by those closest to him for at least several weeks."
In the emergency services call made by his mother, she said: "He's been poorly and having problems breathing.
"He's gasping for breath and not responding. He was refusing to go to the toilet so I put a nappy on him.
"He was fine half an hour ago he was chatting and talking. He's so stubborn he wouldn't go to the doctors."
Cranston pleaded guilty to concealing the birth of a child by secretly disposing of his body.
The trial continues.