A WOMAN jailed for the horrific neglect of her toddler daughter has been freed early - but does not want to appear at a probe into the child’s death.

Margaret Wade, 41, and Marie Sweeney, 40, left Lauren Wade to starve to death at their filthy flat in Glasgow's Sighthill.

A judge heard how the two-year-old went without proper food or care for months and was riddled with thousands of head lice.

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Glasgow Times:

On March 20 2015, a 999 call was made after the child was found to be “unresponsive”.

A "skinny and dirty" Lauren had a sodden nappy, bald patches and thousands of head lice.

She was rushed to hospital – but around 30 minutes later was pronounced dead.

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Prosecutor Bill McVicar said: “Paramedics later noticed that the cover she had been lying on was covered in lice and fleas.

“They had to clean and decontaminate the ambulance.”

Wade told nurses Lauren had been suffering from a virus for a couple of days.

A post mortem revealed the toddler had been the victim of “severe neglect”.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Lauren died due to “complications with malnutrition”.

Wade later told police she had "no guilt" over her daughter's death.

The pair were jailed in 2019 for six years and four months each.

The duo- who had been accused of killing Lauren - pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of neglecting the toddler between June 2014 and March 2015.

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) will take place in July at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

At a preliminary hearing today, Selena Brown, representing the Crown, stated the FAI could last five weeks.

She added: "This can be reduced a significant amount with agreement on background.

"There are 22 witnesses at the moment."

Lee Doyle, representing Sweeney, said: "Myself and the agents for Miss Wade have applied for legal aid.

"The start date does not place difficulty on me and this is a case I will instruct counsel in.

"My client is still in custody and Miss Wade isn't.

"Both have done three-and-a-half years and Miss Wade was released last month - my client is due for parole in October.

"I imagine she would want to participate and her what's been said."

Darren Fleming, representing Wade, was asked by sheriff principal Craig Turnbull whether she will appear.

He replied: "She doesn't wish to, she was released on parole at the start of March after a lengthy hearing."

Sheriff Turnbull fixed a further hearing for the end of next month.