Caregiver Who Kept 2-Year-Old In Cage And Neglected 4-Year-Old Starving Child Spared Jail

A caregiver in Scotland, who kept a 2-year-old in a cage and neglected another 4-year-old child to the point where he had to flee the home through a window, has managed to dodge a jail sentence.

The caregiver's offenses came to light October 2018 when the 4-year-old was found wandering on the street after managing to flee the apartment through a window. Authorities said the boy had managed to escape by squeezing through the 6-inch gap between the window pane and frame. The boy was taken to the hospital where doctors found bruises all over his body.

Following this, the officers went to the apartment and found the 2-year-old child in a homemade cage.

During the court trial, it was revealed that the caregiver, identified as 34-year-old Claire Boyle from Ayrshire, was allowed to look after children despite being convicted of child neglect twice in the past. The woman had previously tried to sell a child and had abused him before abandoning him.

The woman told the court that she had trapped the toddler in a modified cot for his own protection after the other child fled.

While giving evidence to the court, Police Constable Adam Peppard said, "The toddler's nappy was full and hanging low and he was upset. He was within the makeshift cot – the bottom of the cot had been removed and strapped to the top to stop the child getting out [sic]. It was turned into a very risky cage," reported The Scottish Daily Record.

Boyle appeared in court Thursday and was spared jail. During the ruling, Sheriff Michael Higgins cited the law saying that judges should only send an accused person to prison if there is no other appropriate sentence available.

"In my judgment, it is better for you, and for the wider community at large, that the court continues to maintain a supervision on you and monitors you and your cooperation with a community-based disposal over a longer period of time," he said as per Scottish Daily Record.

"That is a more appropriate way of dealing with you in this case than a custodial sentence would be," he added.

Boyle will now have to complete 250 hours of unpaid work under the supervision of social workers.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Scotland told The Scottish Sun that the woman had "failed to meet the basic needs of two children in what is an alarming case of child neglect."

"It's a stark reminder that children are entirely reliant on the adults around them for their care and support," the spokesperson added.