A drug addict mum who kicked her neglected son, seven, out of bed to have sex with clients has been jailed.
Heroin addict Laura Heath was handed a 20 year sentence at Coventry Crown Court for the gross negligence manslaughter of her asthmatic seven-year-old son Hakeem Hussain, who was found dead in a garden in Birmingham in 2017.
The youngster was made to live in squalor in the final months of his life, and was forced to sleep on the sofa as his mum commandeered the bed for sex work.
The 40-year-old used the money she made to fund her drug addictions, while Hakeem was made to sleep on the sofa in the filthy house in Birmingham.
She left her son to die alone in the garden from an asthma attack and even used his inhalers to smoke drugs.
Prosecutor Jonas Hankin QC said: "At Long Acre there was no bed for Hakeem. The bed was put over sex work, why? To raise money, what for? Her drug addiction.
"Another example of where her priorities lay. She devoted her life not to her child but to sourcing, funding and taking drugs."
Passing sentence on Laura Heath, Mr Justice Dove said the death of Hakeem Hussain in November 2017 was the result of her "catastrophic and deplorable" parenting.
The judge told 40-year-old Heath, who was ordered to serve two-thirds of her sentence before becoming eligible for parole, that the death had occurred after her life "entered a drug-fuelled downward spiral into squalor, chaos and tragedy".
The judge said: "When Hakeem Hussain died in the early hours of the morning he was only seven years old.
"It is clear in his tragically short life Hakeem had been an inspiration of happiness and affection for people who knew him.
"He was described as bubbly and full of life with brilliant communication skills.
"All of that potential for a wonderful and fulfilling life was extinguished as he collapsed on his own clutching a leaf in the garden.
"We can only imagine the pain and fear that must have blighted the end of his young life. For anyone, let alone a child, this was a shockingly terrible way for him to die.
"How could it possibly be that this could happen? The truth is, in short, is that Hakeem died as a result of your deplorable negligence.
"He died as a result of your catastrophic and deplorable parenting.
"From the early spring of 2017 your parenting of Hakeem entered a drug-fuelled downward spiral into squalor, chaos and tragedy.
"It is clear to me from the evidence that this was a truly exceptional and reprehensible breach of duty.
"Your failure to manage Hakeem's asthma was persistent and continuous and caused him obvious distress in the day-by-day deterioration of his condition.
"This offence arises in the context of other serious criminality in the form of your abuse of heroin and cocaine and the charges of child cruelty.
"His medication regime was ignored and neglected and he was exposed at home to triggers in a dirty, smoky and cold environment.
Justice Dove continued: "The victim was a young child and moreover you were his mother. You were the person who first and foremost had a responsibility for his welfare.
"He was entitled to rely upon you as his adult caregiver, to take care of him and nurture him - especially protecting his health.
"You betrayed the trust of all children who have to place their trust in their parents to do the best for them and you catastrophically failed to act as a responsible mother.
"All of these offences were committed while you were under the influence or indeed in the thrall of drugs, in particular heroin and crack cocaine.
"Your addiction no doubt led to you prioritising your drug use over almost everything else in your life.
"You should have followed Hakeem's advice and stopped taking drugs. You didn't."
Sickening photos emerged of the cramped family home, with rubbish piled up in dirty rooms that stunk of “raw smoke”.
Police also found Hakeem’s asthma-pumps wrapped in foil next to drug paraphernalia.
In the lead up to Hakeem’s tragic death, a school nurse warned he could “die over the weekend” as his breathing got worse “day by day”.
On November 26, 2017, the youngster had gone outside at night to get air, something he often did when his asthma took a turn for the worse.
Usually he would wake his mum and ask for help, giving him his inhaler, but she did not “come to his aid” this time.
By the morning, Hakeem was found dead, his body “freezing” in the garden, clutching a leaf in his hand.
A resident downstairs heard tapping on his window in the early hours of the morning, before Hakeem was thought to have died.
At 7:37am his mum called 999 and told the operator: "He’s dead… my son. He’s took himself outside when we’re asleep because he’s got asthma… and he’s fell asleep… he’s dead.
"He must have woke up and took himself outside so he can… he’s got asthma… he’s fell asleep outside… he must’ve done… he didn’t wake me up."
She said her son was “blue and stiff” and added there was “no saving him. He’s gone.”
On the call, she was heard saying "He's my baby, he's my baby”.
After his death, high concentrations of heroin and cocaine were found in Hakeem’s hair, which in an adult would indicate “active use”.
His lungs were also "hyper-inflated, narrowed, stiffened and inflamed as a consequence of neglect".
In the final months of Hakeem’s life, a referral was made to Birmingham Children’s Services after he recorded 59 unauthorised absences from school.
Detective Inspector Michelle Thurgood, of West Midlands Police, added: "Hakeem's death was untimely, tragic and preventable.
"He was a young boy who should have been enjoying a carefree and happy childhood.
"I am saddened by what happened to him and the desperately unfortunate circumstances that caused his death.
"His mother had a duty of care to manage the administration of his asthma medication.
"Her life and home was chaotic and this had a detrimental impact on poor little Hakeem.
"My thoughts remain with his loved ones and I hope the court outcome offers some comfort."
