Home / Crime and Justice / Jailed Father Who Drugged Child Dies in Prison
Jailed Father Who Drugged Child Dies in Prison
8 May
Summary
- Man convicted of child cruelty and drug supply has died in prison.
- He was jailed for supplying drugs to a four-year-old girl.
- The child died from a cardiac arrest in 2013.
John Rytting, aged 49, who was imprisoned for his role in the death of four-year-old Poppy Widdison, has died in custody. Rytting passed away at HMP Hull on April 22, 2026, as confirmed by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, which is now investigating the death. He was serving a 13-year sentence following his 2017 conviction for child cruelty and supplying drugs.
Poppy Widdison died in June 2013 after collapsing at her Grimsby home. A trial revealed that Rytting and Poppy's mother, Michala Pyke, encouraged the child to ingest sedatives. A post-mortem found Poppy had been given various drugs, including heroin, methadone, and ketamine, for up to six months prior to her death. While these substances did not cause her cardiac arrest, experts stated there was a long period of neglect and drug administration.
A serious case review highlighted that multiple agencies missed opportunities to protect Poppy. Council services were unaware of the daily risks and harm the child faced. Rytting and Pyke both denied administering drugs to the child.
