It is difficult to imagine the ordeal that a young boy in south-west France had to endure: the then nine-year-old’s mother had moved in with her partner and simply left her son in their social housing in Nersac. He lived there alone for two years, sometimes without heating and without electricity.
The boy’s parents are divorced. When his mother found a new partner, she moved in with him in Sireuil, about five kilometers away. Her son must have gotten in her way as she started the new phase of her life, so she just left him in the apartment.
Sometimes the boy had to live there without heating or electricity. To survive this, he slept in sleeping bags and wrapped under several blankets. He washed himself with cold water and lived on cans and tomatoes he stole from someone else’s balcony.
According to the mayor, the boy was “a decent, good student”
For two years it was not noticeable that the student was left to his own devices. The city’s mayor tried to explain this: “He was always clean, a good student, he also did his homework,” Barbara Couturier told broadcaster France Bleu La Rochelle. Occasionally the mother would also bring some food, but she never stayed overnight in the apartment. It was only when neighbors alerted authorities that the living situation came to light.
Mother sentenced to six months in prison
The mother was ultimately sentenced last week to six months in prison for child endangerment and abandonment. In court, the 39-year-old denied she had moved away and claimed she had been living with her son. However, during a search, police found no adult clothing and an empty refrigerator. Cell phone records also showed that the woman was rarely in the apartment.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
