Parents jailed for neglect after daughter's death
Alan and Bernita Davies have each been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Warning: The following story contains distressing content.
A father and mother from North Wales have been imprisoned following the death of their daughter due to neglect.
The Mold Crown Court heard that Steffie Davies, aged 32, was found deceased by paramedics called to her home in Wrexham in May 2023.
Her parents, Alan and Bernita Davies, both aged 60, pleaded guilty to causing or allowing the death of their daughter.
Both were sentenced on Thursday to eight years each in prison.
'Like a skeleton' with sores
The Mold Crown Court was told that Steffie Davies was a young woman who loved animals but suffered from anxiety and rarely left the house.
Over the years, she had been healthy with few medical issues.
When she was found dead at her home, the court heard she was "like a skeleton" with sores on her body.
She was also in a condition where she would not have been able to eat or drink without assistance.
Paramedics discovered her in a terrible state.
She had dirty hair and infections on her body, including one sore that was 8cm deep.
The bed where she was found was wet.
One paramedic said they had never seen such a young patient in such a poor condition.
"The pictures of Steffie were too distressing to show in court," said Judge Mrs Justice Mary Stacey.
"None of us who have seen them will ever be able to forget them."
The judge said little was known about the last 10 years of Steffie's life.
It was heard that Steffie's mother, Bernita, called 999 to report her daughter's death at around 08:30 on 26 May 2023.
Bernita was heard crying during the call, stating her daughter was "cold" and "like a skeleton."
The judge said Steffie was in severe pain before she died and likely had been dead "for several days" before paramedics found her.
The condition of the body made it impossible to determine how long she had been deceased.
The judge added that little was known about the last decade of Steffie's life.
The last photo of her was taken in 2015 at a wedding, and a neighbour last saw her in 2017.
'She could have achieved so much in life'
One neighbour described Bernita Davies as a "mother from hell," saying she could be heard shouting and screaming at her children.
The judge said Alan and Bernita lived their lives as usual, keeping the garden and the rest of the house tidy, but Steffie's room was very different.
In a statement, Steffie's sister said she had shown potential at college, where she studied animal care, but her anxiety worsened as she got older and she found it difficult to leave the house.
Another relative of Steffie, who was not named in court, said:
"With the right support and encouragement from her mother and father, she could have achieved so much in her life."
During sentencing on Thursday, Bernita Davies was emotionless while listening to the judge's remarks, with Alan Davies lowering his head on several occasions.
Both were sentenced to eight years each in custody and will have to serve two-thirds of their sentences in prison before being eligible for release on licence.
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