Woman jailed for 22 years over ‘cold-blooded’ manslaughter of starved 5-year-old son

A woman identified as L.S.T. pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her 5-year-old son, Z, and received a 22-year sentence. The High Court judge, Susana D’Almada Remedios, described her actions as ‘cold-blooded annihilation,’ involving deliberate starvation and neglect. Z was found malnourished, weighing only 9.7 kilograms and measuring around one meter tall, with 129 injuries, including bruises from a blunt object. The mother had a history of substance abuse and admitted to neglecting Z due to conflicts with her boyfriend, the boy’s father. She had previously spent time in children’s homes due to her inability to care for her three children. Social workers had been monitoring the family for years but failed to notice Z’s severe malnutrition. The judge questioned why concerns were not raised earlier, calling it ‘incomprehensible.’ The defendant expressed deep remorse in a mitigation letter. Manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment under Hong Kong law.