A 2-year-old girl was discovered alone in her home with her dead mother’s body. The dehydrated toddler had no access to real food or water and was simply surviving for days on candy.

Alerted by a concerned neighbor, a local priest gained access to the Australian home.

“I received a phone call from one of our parishioners alerting me that she had not turned up to events,” the priest Brinkman said. “I went around to investigate and that’s when we made the discovery.”

When they entered the home, they found the lifeless body of the 36-year-old unnamed mother. She was believed to have died 3-5 days before they discovered her body.

The little girl was also there and was immediately taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Riverina ambulance staff Eamonn Purcell said, “She was quite lethargic and pale. She wasn’t saying much, she wasn’t displaying much emotion.”

Despite the level of dehydration, she had good blood sugar levels. “It was not long after Easter so she probably had some chocolate eggs that she was eating,” Purcell added.

The toddler has now been discharged from the hospital and is under the care of family.

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