Mentally ill mum reveals why she killed ‘demon’ baby boy

The mentally ill mother of a 10-month-old baby believed he was a demon and did not know what she was doing when she tried to drown him before fatally restricting his breathing, a court has heard.

The woman, who cannot be identified, faced the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday after pleading not guilty to attempting to drown her son with intent to kill and kill him.

The court was told she took her ten-month-old son for a dip in a swimming pool on the evening of March 19 and tried to drown him.

In an interview with police, the woman explained variously that the baby had wandered into the pool, that she had tried to suffocate him in the water and that he had sunk after she released him.

The child was revived by a Good Samaritan who performed CPR while the mother was “screaming and emotional”, the court was told.

Paramedics who rushed to the scene reported that she was exhibiting strange behavior and separated her from the 10-month-old baby as they rushed him to hospital.

Four days later, the court was told that the woman had done something that caused the baby to stop breathing.

The mother gave several statements to police, saying that she had put the baby to sleep and found him unconscious and that she had suffocated him by holding him close to her chest.

She attempted CPR before emergency services arrived and rushed the child to hospital, where he later died.

Judge Sarah McNaughton concluded the mother was not criminally responsible for attempting to drown her son and fatally restrict his breathing.

“I am convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the suspect committed the physical acts,” she said.

‘I am also satisfied with the balance of probabilities, based on the combined and undisputed opinions of Dr. (Richard) Furst and Professor (David) Greenberg, that the suspect did not know the actions were wrong.”

Judge McNaughton found the mother was unable to reason “with a moderate degree of reason and composure” about whether harming her baby was wrong “by reason of a mental health disorder in the nature of a psychotic disorder.”

The court was told his mother believed he was a demon who had taken the place of her real son

The court was told the woman had ‘had a worsening and escalation of her mental health problems’ over the past four years.

She believed she was responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic, the universe spoke to her and suffered auditory hallucinations.

When the baby was six months old, the court was told his mother went to a psychiatrist and reported that she had “lost touch” and felt she should take her own life.

“She claimed that she repeatedly thought something bad would happen to her son and that he would do something bad,” Judge McNaughton said.

The woman told police she noticed the child was not her son a week before he nearly died in the pool.

‘At the time of the incidents, the accumulation of psychotic symptoms led the suspect to believe that her son was not her son and had been replaced by some kind of evil spirit or demon, so that she had to kill him and he would be better off. that way,” Judge McNaughton said.

In an interview with police, the woman said she thought she “had to do it” and that she “felt it was right at the time.”

A mother has been found not criminally responsible after killing her son

The 10-month-old baby died at Westmead Hospital on March 23. Photo: 7News

Medical reports from two forensic psychiatrists, Dr Furst and Professor Greenberg, believed the woman suffered from a schizophrenic disorder or schizoaffective disorder.

However, a third report from NSW Justice Health diagnosed him with bipolar disorder.

The NSW Justice Health report found there were reasonable grounds to conclude the mother required ongoing care, treatment and monitoring for her safety and the safety of others.

“If the suspect’s condition is not adequately treated, it is likely to worsen and may pose an increased risk of harm to others and/or self,” the report said.

Judge McNaughton ordered that the woman be held in a forensic hospital or other facility determined by the Mental Health Review Tribunal until she is released under due process of law.

“In any case, these facts are truly tragic,” she said.

“This is a very sad and disturbing case for everyone involved.”

If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36.