A Canberra judge has warned two parents charged with child neglect he will lock them up if they don't engage with authorities.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The pair - who cannot be named because it would identify the child – pleaded guilty in the ACT Supreme Court last year to causing grievous bodily harm by negligent or unlawful act or omission.
The father, 45, and mother, 23, had been due to face a sentencing hearing before Justice John Burns on Thursday, but the matter had to be adjourned because they had failed to attend court ordered appointments so alcohol and drug assessment and pre-sentence reports could be completed.
Defence lawyers told the court the parents had not missed the appointments in a bid to delay proceedings, but rather lacked the ability to manage time effectively.
The court heard the father's lack of "sophistication" meant he had not fully comprehended the timeframes involved, while the mother suffered from debilitating depression which often saw her bedridden.
The defence said the rarity of the charges and the complexity of the situation meant the court should delay sentencing until all available information could be collected.
In granting the adjournment, Justice Burns imposed strict bail conditions for the pair to report immediately to the corrections intake officer and report as directed.
The judge warned he would revoke their bail and they would be kept in custody if they breached the condition.
Court documents said the baby had been so dehydrated that when authorities removed him it was three days before he could cry tears.
Child protection services removed the one-year-old boy from his parents in Higgins on Christmas Eve in 2015 as he was at significant risk of illness or death
Child protection authorities visited the home in December 2015 and noticed the boy was pale, his eyes sunken, he "just stared" when they tried to engage with him, he did not make a sound and was floppy to hold.
They removed the baby boy on Christmas Eve and took him to hospital.
Court documents said he had dry skin and dermatitis, poor body tone, could not sit unsupported and had difficulty putting weight on his legs.
When offered formula milk he drank two bottles "voraciously".
He weighed 5.83kg, significantly underweight where the average for a 10-month-old boy, age adjusted for prematurity, is more than 9kgs.
"He was unable to produce saliva and tears due to his dehydration," the documents said.
The matter will return to court for sentence in May.
