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An Australian couple who fed their baby daughter a strict vegan diet that left her severely malnourished have avoided serving a jail sentence.

The 35-year-old man and 33-year-old woman from Sydney, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were given an 18-month jail term Thursday which will be served as a community order.

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Their daughter, now three, looked like a 12-week-old infant at 19 months due to her “inadequate” diet, the court was told.

She was fed a diet of oats, rice milk, potatoes, vegetables, rice and tofu and was occasionally given a mouthful of fruit or sultanas as a snack.

The toddler was found with no teeth when she was taken into care last year.

This child was severely malnourished, underweight and undersized and delayed as far as age-appropriate milestones were concerned

Sentencing the couple at Sydney’s Downing Centre Court, Judge Sarah Huggett called the child’s diet “completely inadequate”.

She added: “This child was severely malnourished, underweight and undersized and delayed as far as age-appropriate milestones were concerned. It is the responsibility of every parent to ensure the diet they choose to provide to their children is one that is balanced and contains sufficient essential nutrients for optimal growth.”