Michelle Neill, 55, has been sentenced to three years in prison for the manslaughter of her 48-year-old sister, Kelly Neill, due to gross negligence. The sentence was suspended, meaning she will not serve time immediately but will be under supervision for three years. Neill pleaded guilty to the charge, and the case was described by Judge Richard Marks KC as "highly unusual and exceptionally distressing." Kelly Neill, a former nurse who had previously worked with stroke patients, suffered a stroke in 2018 and became paralyzed. After their mother's death, Michelle Neill became her sole caregiver. However, the court heard that Kelly lived in deplorable conditions, with no disability benefits being received and no visits from a general practitioner or social services for many months. The lack of professional care and support contributed significantly to the deterioration of Kelly's health. On October 20, 2022, Michelle called an ambulance to her family home in Deptford, south London. When paramedics arrived, they found Kelly on the floor of the living room in extremely unsanitary conditions. The room was filled with dirt, decay, and clutter, and the air was heavy with the smell of excrement, urine, and decaying flesh. Kelly was wrapped in a soiled bed sheet, surrounded by urine, blood, and flies. She was wet and showed signs of severe bed sores, infection, and necrosis, with at least one cigarette butt stuck to her leg. Kelly was taken to St Thomas’s Hospital, where she died four days later. A post-mortem revealed that her death was caused by sepsis resulting from multiple skin ulcers and her previous stroke. Kelly’s son, Mr. Neill-Knight, described the situation as "harrowing" and said his mother had been "stolen" in a "disgusting manner" with her "dignity stripped and her body defiled." He recounted how he could barely recognize his mother when he saw her in the hospital, describing her as a "shell" of the person she once was. He expressed deep guilt but also said the choice Michelle made was unjust. He emphasized that no sane person would ignore a family member in such a condition, and he described how his mother was not just a patient or a job for Michelle, but her only sister. In mitigation, Jennifer Dempster KC said Michelle expressed "genuine remorse" and had told her earlier that this would be something she would carry for the rest of her life. Judge Marks noted that Michelle, who suffers from anxiety and depression, was "completely unable" to care for her sister and "incapable of seeking help." He acknowledged her love for Kelly and her profound remorse but decided to suspend the sentence due to her personal circumstances and the low likelihood of reoffending.