Vegan parents accused of starving child to death on diet of fruit and vegetables

Vegan parents accused of starving child to death on diet of fruit and vegetables

Sheila O'Leary, left, and Ryan O'Leary have been charged with first-degree murder. Pic: NBC

A vegan couple have been charged with first-degree murder after their 18-month-old son starved to death on a diet of only raw fruit and vegetables.

Ryan Patrick O'Leary, 30, and Sheila O'Leary, 35, were also charged with aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter, child abuse and two counts of child neglect by a grand jury in Lee County, Florida, on Wednesday.

A police report said their son, who has not been named, weighed only 17 pounds (8kg) when he died.

Image: Ryan O'Leary is facing six charges in Florida. Pic: Lee County Sheriff's Department

Experts said the weight is in line with what a seven-month-old child should weigh.

The couple from Cape Coral, Florida, told officers they are vegan and only eat raw fruits and vegetables.

Mrs O'Leary had called 911 in September when she noticed her son was not breathing and felt cold, according to a police report.

She tried to resuscitate the baby but he was dead when paramedics arrived, according to the Florida broadsheet the News-Press.

State Attorney Amira Fox said the charges the couple face also cover the alleged treatment of their three other children, who are said to have suffered from child abuse and extreme neglect.

They have a three and a five-year-old child who are now in state custody, while an 11-year-old is in the care of her biological father, NBC News reports.

Image: Sheila O'Leary phoned police when she noticed her son wasn't breathing. Pic: Lee County Sheriff's Department

Mrs Fox said: "The evidence and crime scene in this case are gut-wrenching.

"These are images as a mother and state attorney I will not be able to forget."

The couple are set to appear in court on Monday.