Mother who drowned toddler detained under the Mental Health Act
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Detaining Steele under Section 37 and 41 of the Mental Health Act at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, Judge Michael Fitton QC described the case as “a profound human tragedy”. “You did so when you were suffering a period of serious and severe mental illness – that is the clear opinion of the professionals.” He continued: “You were subject to visual and auditory hallucinations and you had paranoid beliefs and you were operating under the terrible mistake that your own family that loved Reid as dearly as you did wanted to harm him.” The nature of the judge’s order means Steele will not be sent to prison when she is deemed fit to be released from hospital. During the sentencing hearing, the court heard Steele had told her mother Amanda Prescott, that she had been “seeing lights” and told her “demons are dark and real”. Later that evening, after dropping Steele at the home, she received a text from her saying: “I’ve done something terrible, I had to protect Reid from my family.” Steele’s mother Amanda Prescott told police her daughter had taken her grandson for his bath at around 6pm on August 11, but had come downstairs at around 7.30pm saying: “I think I done.” Her mother said Steele was not speaking in full sentence, just words like: “I done it.” Mrs Prescott said she had “gone into panic mode” and rushed upstairs to find Reid unconscious and wrapped in a towel on the bathroom floor.
History of this topic
Mother drowned toddler while in the grip of mental illness, court hears
The IndependentDiscover Related
)
