Daughter resembled her father; mother starves 13-year-old daughter to death

PARIS: A shocking case has emerged from France, where a mother starved her 13-year-old daughter to death out of resentment for her resemblance to her father. The accused, 54-year-old Sandrine Pissarra, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the brutal crime, which took place in August 2020. The victim, Amandine, suffered immensely due to her mother’s cruel treatment.

Sandrine locked Amandine in a windowless room in the village Mont-Blanc, where she was deprived of food. The child ultimately died due to severe malnutrition and muscle deterioration. At the time of her death, her face was swollen and pale, her teeth had fallen out, and her body had infected wounds. She weighed only 28 kg.

In her statement, Sandrine claimed that her daughter suffered from an eating disorder, alleging that Amandine had vomited after consuming sugar, fruits, and protein drinks, which then led to her death. However, evidence revealed that Sandrine had physically abused her daughter—slapping, hitting, and pulling her hair. The sole reason for this cruelty was that the child resembled her father.

Sandrine had eight children from three different marriages. The court also sentenced her former partner, who was the girl’s co-guardian, to 20 years in prison without parole.