Mother admits killing teenage daughter by letting her become morbidly obese

A mother has admitting killing her teenage daughter by allowing her to become morbidly obese.

Kaylea Titford, 16, was found dead in the bedroom of her home in Newtown, Powys, Wales, by her mother, Sarah Lloyd-Jones, 39.

The teenager was pronounced dead by paramedics at 8.12am on 10 October 2020.

Her mother and her father, Alun Titford, 44, were charged with gross negligence manslaughter and causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person.

Lloyd-Jones has changed her plea to admit the manslaughter of her daughter. Her father denies the charges and faces a two-week trial at Mold Crown Court in January.

An inquest heard previously that Kaylea suffered from spina bifida and had "multiple medical issues" throughout her life, and that she was immobile.

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Her cause of death was given as "inflammation and infection in extensive areas of ulceration arising from obesity and its complications in a girl with spina bifida and hydrocephalus [a build-up of fluid in the brain]".

Lloyd-Jones admitted breaching the care of duty for her disabled daughter and that it was "reasonably foreseeable" that it gave rise to a serious and obvious risk of death.

Judge Rhys Rowlands told Lloyd-Jones that “all sentencing options will be open” but added that she will be given credit for her guilty plea.

Lloyd-Jones was bailed to attend court for sentencing which will take place after Kaylea’s father’s trial has ended.

It is alleged that, between 24 March and 11 October 2020, he failed to ensure his daughter's dietary needs were met, leading to morbid obesity.

He is also accused of failing to provide her with a clean and safe living environment.

Coroner Graeme Hughes adjourned the inquest in Pontypridd into Kaylea's death until the conclusion of the legal process..

He said at the time of the adjournment in December 2020: "While the medical cause of death... may itself be natural, the circumstances precipitating Kaylea's death are under investigation by Dyfed Powys Police.

"As such, those investigations give me reason to suspect that Kaylea's death may be unnatural, in that a natural cause of death may be considered unnatural where there is some culpable human involvement or contribution to that death."