Brit schoolboy recognized with 18th Century illness after being ‘despatched to high school with mouldy bread’
The 10-year-old boy, known as Abdur, was found to be suffering from a rare disease caused by severe malnutrition – and the mistreatment was only uncovered after he was admitted to hospital
A schoolboy was discovered to be suffering from a horrific Tudor-era illness brought on by severe malnourishment due to neglect.
The 10 year old youngster’s mistreatment in Oldham, Greater Manchester, only came to light after he was hospitalised and it emerged he had been sent to school with “mouldy bread and water”.
A safeguarding review revealed that Oldham council made an appalling “oversight” when it failed to spot the dreadful treatment of the boy, known as ‘Abdur’, after he was rushed to hospital with malnourishment, anaemia and scurvy.
Scurvy results from a severe lack of vitamin C and was a widespread ailment among seafarers in bygone eras who would go without fresh fruit for extended periods whilst sailing.
The NHS describes scurvy as “rare” since most people consume adequate vitamin C and it’s typically straightforward to remedy, reports the Mirror.
However, the 10 year old boy was discovered to be enduring severe leg pain and had four teeth extracted due to the extreme abuse whilst in the care of his mother, a woman known to social services for chronic heroin and crack cocaine addiction.
The NHS explained: “Scurvy is caused by not having enough vitamin C in your diet over a long period of time. Vitamin C is mainly found in fruit and vegetables. However, even people who do not eat very healthily all the time are not usually considered at risk of scurvy.”
The boy, who had relocated with his family to the Manchester town during his early years, had become the council’s ward under a care order issued just two years earlier, though this arrangement was being wound down when his health began to decline.
Manchester Evening News reports that Abdur was characterised as a “very likeable and delightful child” whose mother had several other youngsters placed under the care of extended relatives.
Abdur’s rapidly worsening state was initially observed by social services between January and February 2023, with the safeguarding document noting that his school had flagged concerns to social services regarding “rapid weight loss” and other indicators of neglect on 38 occasions. The report discovered he was sent to school with “dry, and on one occasion mouldy, bread and water”.
Social services had overlooked these warning signs of his declining wellbeing, however, and when the youngster sustained a knee injury, his mother and stepfather claimed they “did not believe he was in pain”.
Despite his difficulty walking, they forced him to trek back to school following a medical appointment. It was subsequently revealed that the excruciating pain stemmed from severe vitamin deficiency.
The report notes that social services weren’t the sole authorities to miss the gravity of the young lad’s situation, with numerous A&E visits and a GP consultation also failing to sound the alarm. He was only taken to a children’s hospital after his school nurse sounded the alarm, with specialists subsequently determining his condition was entirely avoidable and could have proved fatal without swift intervention.
Wasted chances to stop the situation escalating to this dangerous stage were highlighted in the safeguarding report, which detailed major “multi-agency” shortcomings in the year leading to his hospital admission.
The report determined: “The signs were there. Abdur was telling school professionals for some time that he felt unwell and unhappy.
“Unlike other case examples across the country, there were regular multi-agency opportunities in the 12 months before this incident that could and should have facilitated all agency concerns to be carefully explored.”
Abdur’s concerns were eclipsed by his mother’s “alternative explanations”, the report noted.
The care order placed on the 10 year old remains active, and he continues residing at home with his mum, stepdad and half siblings.
Addressing the report, Shaid Mushtaq, Oldham’s cabinet member for children and young people stated on behalf of Oldham Safeguarding Children Partnership: “This is a deeply distressing case, and my thoughts are first and foremost with Abdur and his family.
“No child should ever have to experience what they went through, and as a council we are truly sorry for the pain and trauma they have suffered. The safeguarding reviews make it clear that while there were professionals who showed real dedication and care, there were also areas where we should have done better.
“We have taken these findings extremely seriously and acted on the learning points identified. Since these tragic incidents which took place several years ago, we have made significant changes to strengthen our safeguarding work.
“That includes earlier identification of risk, better coordination between agencies, and a renewed focus on making sure that every child’s voice is heard, understood and acted upon. Oldham’s safeguarding partnership now operates with greater oversight, stronger challenge, and clearer accountability. But we know that improvement is a continual journey.”
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