A twisted drug dealer who fed his ex-partner’s little girl a concoction of illegal drugs until she suffered a cardiac arrest in his flat and died has now died in prison, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has confirmed.
John Rytting was sentenced to 13 years behind bars on child cruelty charges at Hull Crown Court in 2017 relating to the death of little Poppy Widdison. The body of the four-year-old girl was tragically recovered from his ‘drug den’ home in Grimsby in June 2013.
Rytting, who responded with “whatever” when he was handed his sentence, has now died behind bars at the age of 49.
View 3 ImagesJohn Rytting has died in prison(Image: PA)
Poppy suffered a cardiac arrest and tragically died in the “squalid” home which officers found littered with prescription and illicit drugs. Though her cause of death was ruled inconclusive, tests revealed the youngster had been ingesting a concoction of drugs – including diazepam, heroin, methadone and ketamine – for up to six months before her death.
Rytting was in a relationship with Poppy’s mother, Michala Pyke, at the time of the little girl’s death. The pair had been together for around nine months.
Described as an “unfit mother”, Pyke was also jailed for 13 years after the court heard she had been feeding her daughter an array of drugs, reports Grimsby Live.
View 3 ImagesDrugs were found scattered throughout the flat where the child died(Image: RICHARD DEAN)
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC told Pyke and Rytting they both “bear a huge responsibility for the death of a pretty and vivacious little girl”. When the sentence was handed down, Rytting replied: “Whatever.”
Addressing his drug-dealing, Judge Richardson told him: “You were not running a corner shop but a large convenience store for drug addicts. You had a leading role.”
The pair considered Poppy to be an “inconvenience” to their relationship, the court heard. They were said to have fed her sedatives, which they referred to as “blue Smarties”.
Addressing Poppy’s mother, the judge said: “Poppy was born addicted to heroin. Her name is the plant from which heroin is derived.
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“I don’t think this is any accident and reveals your (Pyke) deplorable attitude towards an innocent infant.”
Rytting died on April 22 this year. As is standard for all deaths in custody, the Ombudsman will now conduct an investigation.