Shannon Matthews' kidnapper, who hid schoolgirl under bed, dies

A person who was put in prison for being part of the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews, a nine-year-old girl, has passed away.

In 2008, Michael Donovan gained infamy when the missing young girl was discovered alive in his flat located in Batley Carr, which is in the West Yorkshire region. This happened after she was noted missing for 24 days from her residence located in Dewsbury, which is nearby.

The Sun reported that the individual who was 54 years old passed away on Tuesday after experiencing a collapse at The Three Valleys Hospital. This facility is a mental health unit located in Keighley, a town situated in West Yorkshire.

The article stated that Donovan, who finished serving his time in prison in 2012, was informed about his cancer diagnosis at the beginning of this year.

In the beginning of 2009, he was put into prison with Shannon's mother Karen Matthews because they had conspired to make Shannon disappear in order to receive a cash prize of £50,000 that was being offered by a prominent publication at the time.

Shannon's stepfather, Craig Meehan had an uncle named Donovan.

A person named Shannon, who is currently 25 years old, was discovered inside Donovan's residence located in Lidgate Gardens at Batley Carr. Specifically, Shannon was found in the lower section of a divan bed.

She was given drugs and compelled to follow a rigorous set of regulations while being confined.

During the proceedings in Leeds Crown Court, it was revealed that Shannon had been left feeling unsettled and traumatized by the horrific experience, resulting in frequent nightmares.

Looking for the schoolgirl was quite expensive for the West Yorkshire Police, as it cost them around £3.2 million. This investigation was the biggest one in the history of the police force since they were looking for the Yorkshire Ripper.

Donovan and Matthews were sentenced to eight years in prison in January 2009 for their involvement in kidnapping, unlawfully confining, and obstructing the law.

In the process of delivering the sentence, Mr Justice McCombe hinted at the possibility of additional individuals being a part of the scheme.

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Nevertheless, authorities declared that the incident had been concluded, and no further allegations could be substantiated.

The West Yorkshire Police announced on Wednesday that they were informed about the passing of a man in a hospital located in Steeton on Tuesday, April 16.

The authorities are not suspecting any foul play in regards to the demise and will be carrying out investigations on behalf of the coroner.

The organization in charge of managing The Three Valleys Hospital chose not to provide any remarks.