HULL mum Kerry Abel has been jailed for three years for causing the death of her toddler son who drowned in a bath.
Abel, 38, had claimed she became dizzy and fainted as she stood up while bathing her two-year-old son, Riley Lewis.
But a jury ruled that she was guilty of manslaughter after evidence that she was a persistent drug user and had probably left Riley in a bath unattended for up to two hours.
Riley, who had burns across almost his entire body, was found face-down in the water at his home in Orchard Park Road, north Hull, on January 4 last year.
The jury at Sheffield Crown Court took just over an hour to come to their verdict after hearing evidence for the last two weeks.
They accepted the prosecutors' argument that Abel failed in her duty of care towards Riley after taking a cocktail of drugs before giving him a bath.
Blood and urine tests showed she had taken diazepam, temazepam, nitrazepam, heroin, cocaine and cannabis, along with methadon, tramadol and pain-killer pregabalin.
In sentencing Abel, Mr Justice Coulson said: "Riley died as a consequence of your gross negligence and you let him down, completely let him down.
"I also take into account your cavalier attitude to drugs.
"You were warned generally and specifically in those long years of addiction by both doctors and drug workers about the dangers of drugs and, particularly about pregabalin."
But the judge made it clear there was never any suggestion Abel was responsible for the burns, which he accepted happened after Riley drowned.
He accepted that once Abel fell asleep Riley switched on the hot tap.
He then tried to get out when the temperature increased but fell back in and drowned.
The scalding only occurred after his death, Judge Coulson said.
In mitigation, Benjamin Nolan QC told the court no punishment meted out could be any worse than the loss of her son.
He said: "Kerry Abel dearly loved her child and he was well looked after.
"No punishment the court can impose will be as great as the loss she is already suffering."
Mr Justice Coulson accepted Abel had been a good parent before Riley's death.
He told Abel: "You did not intend this to happen.
"You were a good mother to Riley with good maternal instincts."
After Riley was found face-down in the bathwater at their home on January 4 last year, he was pronounced dead at Hull Royal Infirmary at 12.37am the following day.
Miss Abel was initially arrested at the hospital on suspicion of his murder, but was charged with manslaughter on November 29.
Updated 4.45pm
