Today we have a disturbing story out of the United Kingdom that shows it’s not just the United States where family tragedies occur.
A Scottish mother has been accused of leaving her 13-year-old daughter, Robyn Goldie, to die on the sofa while watching a TV quiz show, according to a fatal accident inquiry. Sharon Goldie, 49, from Kilsyth, reportedly left her daughter alone, believing she had a simple stomach bug, and went to a pub instead of seeking medical help.
The inquiry, held at Hamilton Sheriff Court, heard that Goldie refused to take Robyn to the hospital, dismissing her daughter’s complaints. She left her at home, watching Tipping Point, before heading out to drink with friends. Upon her return to her home in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Robyn was found unresponsive on the couch. A friend of Goldie’s, Jim Duffy, discovered that the teenager was no longer breathing and that rigor mortis had already set in.
Despite Robyn’s deteriorating condition, Goldie believed she was “exaggerating” her symptoms, claiming she thought her daughter only had a stomach bug. Goldie testified: “I thought she was getting better and didn’t need to go to hospital… I told her only people with heart attacks need ambulances, and I didn’t think it was a hospital job.”
Medical examinations later revealed that Robyn had developed peritonitis, which led to a perforated duodenal ulcer, ultimately causing her death.
Goldie was sentenced to three years and six months in prison in 2020 after admitting to willful ill treatment and neglect of her daughter between July 2017 and July 2018. She was found guilty of failing to provide Robyn with adequate food, clothing, or heating, as well as exposing her to unhygienic living conditions. She also admitted to hitting her daughter and allowing her to smoke cannabis and drink alcohol.
The inquiry also heard disturbing allegations that Goldie discouraged Robyn from reporting an alleged rape, citing the potential consequences of medical examinations, court involvement, and media attention. Goldie claimed that Robyn was “boasting” about the incident and warned her about the lifelong implications of going public with the allegation.
The Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain KC, ordered the inquiry due to the serious public concern surrounding the circumstances of Robyn’s death. The investigation is ongoing under the direction of Sheriff Linda Nicolson.
Why do parents even choose to have children if they intend to parent like this?
