Shellay Ebony Ward

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wards were known to the Department of Children Service for fourteen years prior to Shellay’s death. Multiple concerns had been raised and DOCS had removed two of Shellay’s siblings two years prior to her death. Somehow, Shellay still slipped through the cracks. Shellay Ward spent the final years of her life living in filth. Neighbours reported Shellay never left the house and lived in a boarded up room with stench of urine and piles of feces.

 

On November 3rd 2007, Seven year old autistic Shellay Ward was found dead in her bed by her mother, Sharon Ward who discovered her body at around 7am and cradled her till 11am when her father, Blake Ward finished his online morning gambling sessions found them. Sharon took a Valium and a Panadol and went to bed. The police weren’t called until 1pm that day. Shellay weighed 19 pounds when she was found dead of starvation and dehydration. She was described as having a mummified appearance with bull ants crawling in and out of her mouth. Black vomit oozed from her body into a puddle on her filthy mattress.

Shellay’s parents deny she died of starvation. Between the two of them they have blamed everything from drugs, eachother, Shellay’s fear of water and autism in an attempt to avoid any responsibility for her death. An autopsy by the forensic pathologist found Shellay's muscles were so wasted that rigor mortis was absent, that her "eyeballs had lost pressure and sunk", she was dehydrated with subcutaneous fat absent and that the bones of her rib cage stood out. Shellay died of chronic malnutrition and neglect.

 

The Wards told police Shellay had been watching television with them the night before her death. She had eaten dinner and appeared healthy. An Obvious lie.  An internal examination showed Shellay’s stomach contained nothing but 20 millilitres of dark liquid.

 

Sharon Ward was sentenced to life in prison .Blake Ward was found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years.