16 November 2007

THE HAGUE – The family guardian responsible for Savanna, a toddler who died as a result of long term abuse and neglect, has been acquitted. The court in The Hague found the woman not guilty on Friday of causing grievous bodily harm.

The public prosecution department had asked that the social worker be sentenced to 150 hours of community service.

Savanna died in September 2004 after years of neglect and abuse by her mother and stepfather. The three-year-old's family was under the supervision of the social services.

The public prosecutor argued that the family guardian could have foreseen that the mentally ill mother would cause the child harm again in future.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2007]

Subject: Dutch news