Boy, 2, found infested with lice and 'barking like a dog'

A two-year-old South Australian boy was found to have lice-infested hair, decayed teeth and sores covering his face and body in a "tragic" case of neglect, a court has heard.

The infant also appeared unable to stand up and unable to speak, when located by police and taken to hospital in 2018.

"They said he responded by barking like a dog," District Court Judge Paul Muscat said on Monday.

The child's condition came to light after his mother travelled to Adelaide at one stage to live with the boy's grandmother.

But Judge Muscat said the Department of Child Protection appeared to have been aware of concerns surrounding the ability of the boy's mother to care for him.

He said various notifications indicated a history of a lack of supervision, the woman's drug and alcohol abuse, and concerns over the child's development.

The child had lice-infested hair, decayed teeth, sores covering his face and body and "barked like a dog" at police officers, the court heard. Source: Getty/FILE

The boy's mother, who can't be identified, pleaded guilty to the criminal neglect of her son as well as other offences, including assaulting a police officer and breaching bail.

Judge Muscat said the woman had complex mental and physical health issues, was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and had a "tragic and long history of being violently abused" by her partners.

"It seems you have been unable to break the destructive cycle you have found yourself in throughout your sad life," he said in sentencing.

"Your situation is indeed a most tragic one."

The judge said the fact that the 31-year-old had neglected her child to the extent that a criminal penalty was warranted was not totally unexpected.

He jailed her for two years and six months with a non-parole period of 12 months.