Mother Jailed After Refusal To Treat Daughter's Diabetes Led To Her Death

An Illinois woman will be spending several years behind bars over the death of her 14-year-old daughterEmily Hampshire died in November 2018 following complications from type 1 diabetes. Authorities said that her mother, Amber Hampshire, ignored the diagnosis and refused to provide treatment for her daughter.

Prosecutors said that Amber hid the diagnosis for five years, even as her daughter's condition worsened. Emily was rushed to the hospital in February 2018 after he blood sugar levels spiked. Doctors gave Amber information on how to treat her daughter's condition, but she refused to listen and did not show up for follow-up appointments.

Amber pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in October and was sentenced to seven years in prison, with credit for time served. After her prison term is up, she will have to undergo two years of supervised release.

"The first responsibility of a parent is to ensure that their children are safe and cared for, and in this case, a mother's negligence led to the tragic and completely avoidable death of her daughter," Madison County State's Attorney Tom Haine said. "No sentence can undo the result of this fatal negligence, but justice was served with today's sentencing."

Hampshire's attorney argued that she suffered from a personality disorder that made her incapable of accepting her daughter's diagnosis and her own medical condition. Hampshire has type 2 diabetes yet refuses to accept that she is sick. She continues to deny having the disease, even though she recently had three toes amputated, a psychiatrist told the court.

Amber is expected to begin serving her prison sentence within 30 days. Madison County Circuit Judge Kyle A. Napp told Amber that she will receive medical care "in a manner you did not afford your daughter."

Photo: Madison County State's Attorney


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