Pippa000
My query would be who is looking after a 12 year old while mum is away? Thats if he wasn't remanded of course, if so she probably thinks he is someones elses concern.
His uncle accompanied him to court, so he is presumably living with other family members while his mother is away.
What says more about his parents, whether together or separated, and I assume he has an absent father, than anything is that clearly it occurred to neither of them that it shines a very poor light on them that neither considered it necessary for them to be present in court yesterday, and that sending any spare relative - in this case the uncle, was sufficient.