Shannon Leigh White jailed for 2020 manslaughter of her four-year-old stepdaughter Willow Dunn at Cannon Hill in Brisbane’s east

A stepmother grossly neglected her little girl. After months of neglect, she died in ‘filth and misery’.

Shannon Leigh White, 47, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after her four-year-old stepdaughter Willow Dunn was found dead at a home in Cannon Hill, Brisbane’s east, in 2020.

Willow, who has Down syndrome, was last seen as a growing girl, weighing 22 pounds, at a doctor’s appointment in 2018.

At the time, White seemed proud to be raising the child, but that quickly changed.

Willow had been isolated since 2019, rarely leaving her parents’ home and likely being left alone for short periods of time.

She was not seen in White’s social media posts, nor were any photos taken of the entire family.

Even the neighbors on the suburban street surrounding the family home didn’t know Willow existed.

The four-year-old child was found dead on May 25, 2020 after a family member called police.

It is believed she died two days earlier.

Her body was emaciated and weighed only 6.5 kg, half the normal weight for her age.

Willow looked dirty, had long, black nails and was missing clumps of hair.

She had such a severe lice infestation that her chest was affected and she had severe pressure sores on her back and hip, which were open and oozing fluid.

Judge Peter Davis said White, the girl’s stepmother and main carer, had seriously neglected the child and effectively abandoned her.

He did not accept the defence that White was unaware of Willow’s deteriorating condition or that she had been abandoned.

During the sentencing earlier this week, prosecutor Nathan Crane said that White had suggested that Willow be taken to a doctor or hospital two months before her death, but that did not happen.

“You were well aware that your neglect was having a significant impact on Willow’s health. That explains your comments about wanting to seek help but fearing losing all the children,” Judge Davis said.

He said White selfishly chose not to seek help for the little girl, leading to Willow’s catastrophic death.

“This is a shocking case where, as Willow’s mother figure, you put your own interests above Willow’s,” Judge Davis said.

‘She died in a state of filth and misery, infested with parasites and with open wounds.

‘Even in death no attempt was made to protect her.

‘Willow’s offence is a very serious case of gross negligence over a relatively long period of time with catastrophic consequences.’

The four-year-old was found dead on May 25, 2020 after a family member called police. Her body was emaciated and weighed just 6.5 kg, half the accepted weight for her age.

“This is a shocking case where you, as a mother figure to Willow, put your own interests above those of Willow,” Judge Davis said. “She died in a state of filth and misery, infested with parasites and with open wounds. “Even in her death, no attempt was made to protect her.”

Defense attorney Paula Morreau said earlier this week that White was weakened by her previous experiences with abuse and her mental state.

Judge Davis said that without these mitigating circumstances and her efforts at rehabilitation in custody, he would have sentenced her to a longer prison term.

White was sentenced to nine and a half years in prison in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday.

She was also convicted of assault on a child under 16 in relation to a second child.

White will be eligible for parole in June 2026.

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