A horrifying case in Scotland saw a boy, nine, found abandoned in the woods with booze and cocaine in his system.
Ashley McGovern, 31, left the youngster to the elements when she took the little lad to Brock Wood near the village of Spott on September 9, 2022. He was found a day later without food and water and no shoes and socks by a dog walker amid a large police hunt to find him. He was only found when the dog walker found him crying.
The boy was also found with injuries to his chest neck and also suffered brain injuries. McGovern pleaded guilty to a charge of wilfully neglecting the boy to his severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life.
(Image: Jane Barlow/PA)
She had initially faced an accusation of attempting to murder the boy which included claims he had been repeatedly struck on the neck and body with a knife.
The boy got into McGovern’s car on the day he was abandoned at around 7pm. He had been described as being in “good spirits” that day and was his “usual self”.
The sun had set by the time McGovern reached the woods and there was no other source of light, while heavy rain that day had made the area muddy. “The boy was known to be afraid of the dark,” prosecutor Alan Cameron KC said.
All the boy had was a short-sleeved polo shirt and jogging bottoms. Once she had abandoned him, McGovern sent a text to a man asking if he had seen him.
Sick McGovern told the her dad he was “missing” and that she had dropped him off near to the house of a man she knew for him to collect his bike and ride it back, but he had not returned.
A police helicopter, mountian rescue and 80 cops were scrabled to look for the boy. He was found “extremely confused” and was struggling to stand up.
Two pools of blood were found close by and the court heard he had injuries to his chest and neck as well a a suspected ankle fracture. Further tests revealed he had suffered a brain injury caused by lack of oxygen. Mr Cameron said his condition “deteriorated significantly” which included seizures, sight issues and involuntary movement of the limbs.
In hospital, the lad needed extensive treatment to aid his recovery and had to use a wheelchair to get around. He was only able to leave the hospital in late January 2023 and continues to have weakness in his right-hand side, likely to be permanent.
One specialist suggested the brain injuries could have been caused by cocaine.
Acting for McGovern, John Scullion, said: “There have been issues in her life most notably her misuse of drugs. She has taken steps to address that problem.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.