Neighbors have revealed that a mother who enslaved a woman as a house servant for 25 years had been reported multiple times to social services. Amanda Wixon, aged 56, subjected the woman, now in her 40s, to deplorable living conditions and frequently forced washing-up liquid down her throat. Wixon, a mother of 10, was convicted of false imprisonment, forced labor, and physical assault at Gloucester Crown Court.
Neighbors disclosed that they raised concerns about the situation in the early 2000s and again in 2018. Hayley Nuttall, 55, living near Wixon in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, recounted how her mother reported suspicions over two decades ago and she personally urged the council to investigate in 2018. She testified in court about the girl next door, emphasizing the urgency to address the situation due to the victim’s alarming physical appearance.
Another neighbor, Kiram, stated that she had contacted social services numerous times but no action was taken. She witnessed the victim being abused and lamented the lack of intervention by social services, emphasizing their failure to protect the victim adequately.
Expressing disbelief, a friend mentioned the overcrowded living conditions at Wixon’s home and questioned why social services had not intervened earlier. The victim, who has learning disabilities, managed to escape in March 2021 after one of Wixon’s sons alerted the police. The woman exhibited physical signs of abuse, including scarring and calluses, indicative of her forced labor.
Described by police as akin to a “prison cell,” the victim’s living quarters were deplorable, and she had suffered significant dental issues. Since her rescue, the woman has been placed with a foster family, is attending college, and has had the opportunity to travel abroad. Wixon, who has shown no remorse and denied the charges, is currently on conditional bail and is awaiting sentencing on March 12.
