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| Swansea: Karolina Zurawska gets hospital order for killing son | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Karolina Zurawska has been subjected to an indefinite hospital order for killing her six-year-old son | Karolina Zurawska has been subjected to an indefinite hospital order for killing her six-year-old son |
| A mum with paranoid schizophrenia who killed her six-year-old son while believing she was being "instructed by a demonic force" has been given an indefinite hospital order. | |
| Karolina Zurawska, 42, admitted the manslaughter of Alexander Zurawski on the grounds of diminished responsibility, as well as the attempted murder of her 67-year-old father, Krzysztof Siwy. | Karolina Zurawska, 42, admitted the manslaughter of Alexander Zurawski on the grounds of diminished responsibility, as well as the attempted murder of her 67-year-old father, Krzysztof Siwy. |
| Alexander, who attended Whitestone Primary School, was killed at the family home on Cwm Du Close, Gendros, Swansea, on 29 August 2024. | |
| Judge Paul Thomas KC told Swansea Crown Court he was imposing the order not as punishment, but for "ongoing, probably lifelong, medical help". | |
| Warning this article contains graphic details that some people may find upsetting | Warning this article contains graphic details that some people may find upsetting |
| "The often overused word tragic does not begin to reflect the awfulness of what happened on that day to Alex," the judge said. | "The often overused word tragic does not begin to reflect the awfulness of what happened on that day to Alex," the judge said. |
| "You adored each other and he trusted you." | "You adored each other and he trusted you." |
| Swansea Crown Court heard Zurawska killed Alexander by using a hand saw to try and cut off his head. | Swansea Crown Court heard Zurawska killed Alexander by using a hand saw to try and cut off his head. |
| The court heard it was the unanimous view of three very experienced consultant forensic psychiatrists that she was suffering a psychotic episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time. | The court heard it was the unanimous view of three very experienced consultant forensic psychiatrists that she was suffering a psychotic episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time. |
| Alexander was a kind, helpful and clever boy, his family said | |
| "It affected your mental state so greatly that it impacted your ability to understand what you were doing," said Judge Thomas. | "It affected your mental state so greatly that it impacted your ability to understand what you were doing," said Judge Thomas. |
| "You were suffering from the delusion of hearing voices and you believe you were being instructed by a demonic force. | "You were suffering from the delusion of hearing voices and you believe you were being instructed by a demonic force. |
| "You are not a wicked mother, far from it. | "You are not a wicked mother, far from it. |
| "You are a lady whose mental state deteriorated, I suspect under the overwhelming weight of your concern and care for Alexander." | "You are a lady whose mental state deteriorated, I suspect under the overwhelming weight of your concern and care for Alexander." |
| An inquest into the boy's death heard he was found by police officers with a "significant neck injury". | An inquest into the boy's death heard he was found by police officers with a "significant neck injury". |
| Det Insp David Butt from South Wales Police said paramedics and police officers were called to a property at Cwm Du Close on 29 August following concerns of people living nearby. | Det Insp David Butt from South Wales Police said paramedics and police officers were called to a property at Cwm Du Close on 29 August following concerns of people living nearby. |
| Officers discovered "a young child with a significant injury to his neck area and... blood loss", DI Butt added. | Officers discovered "a young child with a significant injury to his neck area and... blood loss", DI Butt added. |
| He said Zurawska was arrested at the property on suspicion of murder. | He said Zurawska was arrested at the property on suspicion of murder. |
| Det Insp Butt said a post-mortem examination was undertaken at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where the cause of death was found to be a "complex sharp force injury to the neck area". | Det Insp Butt said a post-mortem examination was undertaken at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where the cause of death was found to be a "complex sharp force injury to the neck area". |
| On Friday, the judge told Zurawska: "Even if you do recover from this mental illness, the burden of what happened will always be with you." | |
| He made a hospital order under section 47 of the Mental Health Act and told Zurawska she would not be released from specialist psychiatric care "unless it is safe". | |
| Det Chief Insp Matthew Davies said the case had a "profound effect" on the Gendros community. | |
| In a tribute issued by South Wales Police, Alexander's family described him as a "very kind child". | |
| "He loved playing with his little sister and playing with his dog, Daisy," they added. | |
| "Alexander was always well-behaved and never naughty." | |
| They added he was "very clever and mature for his age" and spoke in both English and Polish, "often correcting his parents with their English if they got words wrong". | |
| Bethan Peterson, headteacher of Whitestone Primary School, called Alexander "a delightful, determined little boy". | |
| She said both staff and pupils were "devastated" by his death, adding that he had been "extremely loved and popular amongst his peers, staff and all who knew him". |