Mother found guilty of starving her son, 4, to death

A 43-year-old mother of eight has been found guilty of killing her four- year-old son by starving him to death.

Amanda Hutton showed no emotion as she was convicted of manslaughter by a jury at Bradford Crown Court.

The court had heard that Hamzah’s mummified body was found in Hutton’s Bradford bedroom almost two years after he died in Dec 2009.

The foreman of the jury made clear that they had convicted her on the basis that she was grossly negligent by not providing adequate nourishment for Hamzah.

Jurors returned their verdict to a packed court after almost five hours of deliberations. Hutton was remanded in custody and will be sentenced today.

Hutton denied killing little Hamzah, whose decomposed and insect-infested body was found in a travel cot in her bedroom.

A two-week trial heard that his remains had been in the cot for almost two years when they were found by police on Sept 21, 2011. The little boy had died on Dec 15, 2009.

Hamzah’s body was found in the house in the Heaton area of the city in terrible squalor, where five other school-aged siblings were living.

Hutton has admitted a charge of child cruelty in respect of each of these children, who were aged between five and 13 in 2011.

Prosecutors told the jury Hamzah most probably died from malnutrition because Hutton neglected him as she concentrated on her alcohol addiction.

The jury found she starved her son to death.

But Hutton told the court she struggled to get her son to eat and he died suddenly. She claimed she never sought medical advice because she thought he was going through a phase and would grow out of it.

Hutton panicked after his death and only kept claiming child benefit for Hamzah because she was worried that, if she stopped, his body would be discovered. She also said she was worried the other children would be taken away if Hamzah’s death was discovered.

Hutton has also admitted a charge of preventing the burial of a corpse, along with her eldest son, Tariq, 24. Tariq will also be sentenced today.

Prof Nick Frost, chair of Bradford Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB), said: “This is a tragic case for everyone involved. BSCB initiated a serious case review following the discovery of Hamzah’s body and the report will be published after the court, coronial and other necessary procedures are completed.”