feral child

British  

noun

1. a neglected child who engages in lawless or anti-social behaviour

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Example Sentences

But, she acknowledged, perhaps that was a blessing: “Knowing me, being the feral child that I was, I would have had no restraint, and I would have been long dead.”

From New York Times

In court, Ethan Crumbley's attorneys have painted a similar picture of the boy's childhood, calling a psychological expert who said he was a "feral child" who was neglected by his parents and suffered from mental illness.

From BBC

He owns it, and he’s as angry as a feral child who’s soiled himself in the sandbox.

From Salon

Colin King, a psychologist who has met with the teen, has described him as a “feral child” who was neglected by his parents.

From Washington Times

A psychologist, Colin King, described him as a “feral child.”

From Seattle Times