Floreat parents found guilty of neglect in Perth starvation trial involving teen daughter

A mother and father have been found guilty of neglect in the high-profile starvation trial that has gripped Perth.

The Floreat couple has been on trial in the District Court of WA, with the jury sitting through weeks of what Judge Linda Black called “harrowing, distressing and difficult evidence” while hearing from countless witnesses.

The jury ultimately sided with prosecutors, who said the parents starved their daughter to keep her their “little girl forever”.

They were accused of depriving her of food and the chance to grow up, stunting both her social and emotional development.

The girl watched children’s shows, wore princess dresses and read books aimed at primary school students.

At almost 17 years old she weighed just 27kg and slept in the same bed as her mother.

Her parents argued they had no idea she was malnourished and saw her as their “beautiful ballerina”.

The trial heard the parents tried to delay treatment, only taking her to the hospital under threat from the Department of Communities and then not consenting to her life-saving treatment including a nasal feeding tube.

It was at this point the child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was taken out of their care and put in the hands of child protection.

The girl’s mother was incredibly emotional as the verdict was handed down.

The parents will be sentenced in 2025.