A judge ruled that a mother's cannabis-induced psychotic state caused her to kill her two sons. The judge noted that the mother had a previous psychotic episode possibly linked to cannabis use in 2016. Despite the mother discussing her heavy cannabis use with friends who knew about her 2016 episode and her childcare responsibilities, they did not issue warnings about potential risks.
The mother drowned her two sons and was subsequently sentenced. The judge emphasized that the acts were likely not premeditated, highlighting her generally caring nature before the incident.
The judge directly linked the mother's psychotic state during the killings to her cannabis use, stating that it was a cannabis-induced episode. He acknowledged the inability to definitively confirm that she was fully aware of the potential link between cannabis and triggering another psychotic episode.
The judge recognized the profound grief the mother would carry for the rest of her life due to the loss of her sons.
He said he could not reach any conclusion but, in her state at that time, she intended to kill the boys, pointing out that she had “unspeakably” held the boys under water for “up to a minute or two”.
“The bath was probably still run from their normal evening routine and I do not think for a moment that your dreadful acts were pre-meditated,” he said.
The judge said Alexander dried the boys, put them in clean pyjamas and laid them together, tucked in under duvets, on the same bunk bed.
“The next morning, their father, worried by your unusual silence, came and found them. The stuff of nightmares,” he said.
The judge said there was every sign Alexander was a “caring and affectionate” mother to both children before the events of Dec 15.
He pointed out that their father said Alexander “never shouted or raised her voice at the boys” and “never showed violence to the boys”.
Mr Justice Bennathan said Alexander was in a psychotic state when she killed her sons and that it was cannabis induced.
He said she had a previous psychotic episode in 2016 in which cannabis also probably played a part, but said he cannot be sure that she was aware that cannabis could trigger another psychotic state.
The judge said he noted that in Dec 2022, Alexander spoke regularly with two members of her social circle about her heavy cannabis use, both of them knowing that she was looking after two small children.
“And at least one of them knew of your previous psychotic episode in 2016, yet neither of them warned you of any risk or sounded any note of caution at all,” he said.
The judge said Alexander will mourn her sons for the rest of her life.
“From all that I have read and seen of you, I have no doubt that every day when you awake you will remember and grieve for the little boys whose lives you snatched away,” he said.
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