Woman smothered 3-year-old daughter with pillow after she was diagnosed with autism: 'She felt desperate and overwhelmed'
A mother has been found not guilty by reason of insanity after she smothered her toddler daughter with a "Minnie Mouse" pillow while she was taking an afternoon nap at their family home.
The Central Criminal Court of Ireland heard the woman told police how the child struggled and screamed as she held the pillow over her face, the Leinster Leader reports. The deranged mother also described how her three-year-old daughter called out for her daddy before letting out a final sigh.
According to the report, the 43-year-old had become "obsessed" with her daughter's autism diagnosis and somehow convinced herself she was suffering from Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) - a severe form of autism - while the three-year-old was actually diagnosed with a milder form of the disease.
She told authorities she was fearful for her child's future and that her diagnosis could have ruined the life of her other child. What's more? The defendant was found to have carried out internet searches on "suicide" and "mothers killing their autistic children" in the days leading up to the killing.
On February 13, 2018, three days after the smothering, the toddler was pronounced dead. The cause of her death was determined to be cerebral hypoxia, caused by the act of suffocation. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty in court by reason of insanity after killing her child nearly two years ago.
During the trial, two forensic psychiatrists gave evidence saying the defendant had fulfilled the criteria for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
According to Dr Sally Linehan, who was called by the prosecution, the defendant was suffering from "recurrent depressive disorder" and that she was unable to refrain from committing the act as she did not know right from wrong.
Meanwhile, Dr Stephen Monks, called on by the defense, ruled the woman was suffering from "severe depression with psychotic features," which caused her to believe her only option was to kill the child.
The jury, composed of six men and six women, deliberated for almost an hour before delivering a unanimous verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Justice Carmel Stewart subsequently thanked the jury for their participating in the short but difficult trial. "Your presence and participation is a very essential and core part of the criminal justice system," she said, before exempting them from jury service for the next five years.
The woman was then committed to the Central Mental Hospital until the matter is brought back to court on November 5.