Shannon Leigh White: Brisbane woman grossly neglected step child before 'shocking' death

A stepmother grossly neglected a little girl who died in “filth and squalor” after months of abandonment.

Shannon Leigh White, 47, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after her four-year-old stepdaughter Willow Dunn was found dead at a Cannon Hill home, in Brisbane’s east, in 2020.

Willow, who had Down syndrome, was last seen as a growing girl, weighing 10kg, at a doctor’s appointment in 2018.

At the time White had seemed proud to be raising the child but things quickly changed.

Willow was isolated from 2019, she rarely left the family home and was likely left alone for short periods.

She was not seen in White’s social media posts or photos taken of the whole family.

Even neighbours on the family home’s suburban street were unaware Willow existed.

The four-year-old was found dead on May 25, 2020, after police were called by a family member.

It is believed she died two days earlier.

Her body was emaciated and weighed just 6.5kg, half of the accepted weight for her age.

Willow was dirty with long, black nails and missing patches of hair.

She had a lice infestation so severe it had colonised her chest and had severe pressure wounds on her back and hip that were open and weeping.

Justice Peter Davis said as the little girl’s stepmother and significant caregiver White had grossly neglected the child, effectively abandoning her.

He did not accept the defence that White was unaware of Willow’s deteriorating condition nor that she had been abandoned.

During sentencing submissions earlier this week, prosecutor Nathan Crane said White had suggested taking Willow to a doctor or hospital two months before her death but this did not eventuate.

“You were well aware your neglect was significantly impacting Willow’s health, that explains the comments you made about wanting to seek help but fear of losing all the children,” Justice Davis said.

He said White selfishly chose not to seek help for the little girl which ended in the catastrophic consequence of Willow’s death.

“This is a shocking case where you as the mother figure to Willow have preferred your own interests to that of Willow,” Justice Davis said.

“She has died in a state of filth and squalor, infested with parasites, and bearing open sores.

“Even in death, there was no attempt to protect her.

“The offending against Willow is a very bad case of severe neglect over a relatively lengthy period with catastrophic consequences.”

Defence barrister Paula Morreau submitted earlier this week White was impaired by her past experience of abuse and her mental conditions.

Justice Davis said without these mitigating factors and her attempt at rehabilitation in custody he would have sentenced her to a lengthier term of imprisonment.

White was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years in prison on Friday at the Brisbane Supreme Court.

She was also convicted of cruelty to a child under 16 concerning a second child.

White will be eligible for parole in June 2026.

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