Pennsylvania realtor mom, 51, sobs as she is jailed for life after strangling her 11-year-old son to death with a belt to get revenge on her husband for family’s financial woes
A Pennsylvania mother has been sentenced to life behind bars after killing her 11-year-old child by strangling him with a belt while he slept.
Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, 51, was found guilty earlier this week of first-degree murder for the killing of her son Matthew Whitehead, 11, in their home last April.
Police were called to the Horsham home after Matthew’s father found him dead, while DiRienzo-Whitehead drove their SUV onto the Jersey Shore beach after killing the boy.
Images show the SUV partially submerged in the water, with a criminal complaint stating officers found a black men’s belt on the floor of the vehicle.
Police then found DiRienzo-Whitehead wandering the streets before she was taken into custody.
6abc reported that she confessed and told police that she did not want her son to grow up with their family’s financial problems, and decided to strangle him with a belt while he slept.
Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, seen here, was found guilty earlier this week of first-degree murder for the killing of her son Matthew Whitehead in their home last April
Police were called to the Horsham home after Matthew’s father found him dead, while DiRienzo-Whitehead was later found after driving their SUV onto the beach at the Jersey Shore.
According to the Philadelphia researcherDiRienzo-Whitehead told officers that Matthew had been “crying all day because of the family’s financial problems.”
The boy’s father, Daniel Whitehead, was sleeping in another room at the time, which he said was not unusual.
Whitehead testified through tears to the court on Monday: ‘I saw him lying face down on the bed. I screamed. He was a great boy. He was always happy.’
Delco times reported that Whitehead also repeatedly referred to his wife of 13 years as “the defendant” and glared at her when asked to identify her for the record.
DiRienzo-Whitehead’s attorneys argued that she strangled her son because she was experiencing a psychotic episode due to financial concerns and family problems, and that she felt she was sparing her son a painful life.
A defense expert testified that DiRienzo-Whitehead was suffering from depression and mental illness at the time.
Montgomery County prosecutors argued the killing was premeditated, saying she conducted numerous online searches on how to strangle someone and researched mental illnesses that drive women to kill their own children.
They also said DiRienzo-Whitehead, who worked as a real estate agent, blamed her husband for the family’s financial problems and was motivated to kill by a mix of anger and revenge.
A defense expert testified that DiRienzo-Whitehead was suffering from depression and mental illness at the time
Montgomery County prosecutors argued the killing was premeditated and said she conducted numerous online searches to strangle someone.
The boy’s father, Daniel Whitehead, was sleeping in another room at the time, which he said was not unusual. The two can be seen here
Delco Times reported that DiRienzo-Whitehead had been the sole caregiver for her mother, who suffered from dementia, and that she was stressed about having to sell her family home.
Whitehead testified that his wife was “upset” and “not happy” about having to sell the home that had been in her family for decades.
While handing down the guilty verdict Thursday, a judge declined to consider mental illness as a defense.
On Friday, prosecutors successfully argued that DiRienzo-Whitehead knew killing her son was wrong and that she acted out of revenge and not mental illness.
Footage showing her being taken from the courtroom in handcuffs shows the mother turning to reporters and saying: “I’m heartbroken.”
NBC Philadelphia reported that DiRienzo-Whitehead had always maintained her silence before this week.
On Friday, she admitted that she stole her son’s future from him and asked for forgiveness. She told the court that only “a monster would do something like this.”
The outlet reported that she also said she knows the life her son should have had and that she was proud of him.
The SUV remained partially submerged while officers picked up DiRienzo-Whitehead, who was found wandering, and took her into custody.
Matthew was a sixth grader at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, where he had attended since kindergarten
The Pottstown Mercury reported that Whitehead sobbed in court Friday, saying, “Matthew was a gift from God and touched so many people. I would have done anything for him.
‘He was so happy that he could make his parents proud. His future was limitless. I will miss him forever.’
Matthew was a sixth grader at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, where he had attended since kindergarten.
The private school said in a statement: “Matthew was an extraordinary child with a smile as bright as the sun.
“We loved him and we will forever mourn his loss, a devastating tragedy for our community, his family, his friends and our world.
“We will do everything in our power to perpetuate his memory, honor him as he so deserves, and live our lives well in honor of him.
“Matthew is the embodiment of love, promise and goodness, and we will never forget him.”
Lawyer Eugene Tinari has vowed to appeal the conviction.