A DAD learned his beloved daughter had died on Facebook after she was starved to death by her own mother during a horrific campaign of abuse.
Debbie Leitch, who had Down's syndrome, was "severely emaciated and covered in scabs" when she died at her home in Blackpool, Lancs, in 2019.
A post-mortem revealed the 24-year-old's cause of death was severe emaciation and neglect and that she had an extensive scabies skin infection.
Her mum Elaine Clarke, 49, now faces year behind bars after admitting manslaughter by gross negligence.
Debbie's dad Thomas Leitch, who lives in Hastings, East Sussex, has revealed his heartbreak at his daughter's death.
And he described the horror moment he discovered she was dead through social media.
Thomas told The Sun Online: "My ex-wife Amber was on the phone to her sister, who is friends with Elaine's sister.
"Elaine put a comment on Facebook.
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"That's how I found out. I had to contact the police in Blackpool to find out what had happened."
Thomas immediately took responsibility organising the funeral.
But he claims he was not entitled to a funeral grant and Elaine made the decision to go for a pauper's grave.
He said: "I managed to get half of her ashes and I buried her in a local church, right next to my dad.
"At least I was able to do that for her."
Thomas said he missed years with Debbie after he and Clarke split when his daughter was just five.
He explained he wanted to "save" the marriage but eventually Debbie was sent to live with her mum by social services.
The dad said: "They never had anything against me – that's just what they'd do when dads were involved. It was wrong."
DAD'S DEVASTATION
Elaine remarried when Debbie was seven, and Thomas faced a battle to spend time with his daughter.
He claims the mum made it "impossible" to see her and is still left "angry" by social services' decision to leave Elaine in charge of Debbie's care.
Even when his daughter begged to move in with him as she got older, Thomas says he was still blocked.
He added: "She asked to come and live with me, but because of the social's involvement, it didn't happen.
"Of course, she was still under the care of the social and a care company too.
"If all these organisations were doing a proper job, why is she not here now?"
He said Debbie "loved just playing and being the centre of attention".
KILLER MUM
Police found Debbie's body on August 29, 2019, after being called by the ambulance service.
Six people were arrested in connection with her death.
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Clarke's former partner Robert Bruce, 45, was charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult, but this was later dropped.
She previously pleaded not guilty to gross negligent manslaughter but changed her plea just ten days before she was due to go on trial.
The evil mum will now be sentenced on February 7.
Thomas said: "Every time she saw me her face lit up.
"All I can do now is try to remember the good times, but the good times have been marred forever by what happened."
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