By Lydia Warren Josh Powell starved one of his sons to the point of malnutrition and possibly poisoned his wife with homemade drinks before she vanished, according to a new book. The startling claims have been made by Susan Powell's friends more than four years after the 29-year-old mother-of-two disappeared from her Utah home. While her body has never been found, her husband Josh was long suspected of having a role in her disappearance. Then in February 2012, he attacked his sons, aged five and seven, with a hatchet and blew them - and himself - up in his Washington state home.
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Friends have spoken to the authors of a new book, out on Tuesday
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They claim that Susan Powell, who vanished from her Utah home in December 2009, was under the control of her husband, Josh
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They suggest she was poisoned by him 2 months before she disappeared because she felt sick and Josh often made her drinks
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One of their sons was also diagnosed with malnutrition after Josh withheld food from him, saying he was 'just going to poop it out'
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Susan's body has never been found and Josh killed himself and his sons in 2012 after attacking them with a hatchet and blowing up their home
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