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Woman admits killing her two babies Woman admits killing her two babies
(about 2 hours later)
A woman has admitted killing her two babies who were found dead at the family's home. A mother who has admitted killing her two babies at her home in Wandsworth, south London, has told a court that she is "truly sorry" and thought she was a "good mum".
Felicia Boots, 35, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 10-week-old Mason and his 14-month-old sister, Lily, on 9 May. Felicia Boots, 35, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 10-week-old Mason and his 14-month-old sister, Lily, on 9 May on the grounds of diminished responsibilty. Boots had faced murder charges but the plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted by the prosecution.
The prosecution at the Old Bailey accepted her plea on the grounds of diminished responsibility, and murder charges were dropped. Boots, who lived with her investment banker husband in a salubrious area of London – referred to as "nappy valley" because of the number of couples with infants there – at the time of the children's deaths, has been unable to attend two previous hearings after being detained in a psychiatric unit.
Boots, who trained as a hairdresser, was unable to appear at two previous hearings. Wearing a black suit and white blouse at the Old Bailey, she began crying as she was asked to stand and enter pleas on the two murder charges.
She had been detained at a psychiatric unit and the prosecution's decision followed consideration of doctors' reports. She pleaded not guilty to murder, but guilty to manslaughter because of diminished responsibility, on both counts.
Boots and her investment banker husband, Jeff, moved to the UK in the last few years from Canada. She sent a note to the court which was read by her counsel, Kate Bex, which read: "9 May 2012 is a day I will be eternally sorry for. It should never have happened. It troubles me more than anyone will ever know. Part of me will always be missing. I am a good person. I am a good mum and I never meant any of this to happen. I am truly sorry."
He found the children dead when he arrived home at the couple's house in an area of south London known as "Nappy Valley" because of the number of young families living there. Edward Brown QC, prosecuting, told the court that it was not dealing with a murder, but a tragedy. "This plainly is a tragic case," he said.
The Crown had closely examined the medical evidence and spoken to Boots's husband, Jeff, who was in court, he added. "The authors of the reports are clear and agreed in their conclusions as to Boots's condition as at 9 May and the reasons for her actions on that day. As a result the Crown has taken the firm view that it is not in the public interest to pursue the counts of murder but to accept the pleas as entered."
Boots was ordered to be detained at a psychiatric unit and the court was told she would be given full support and care if she became pregnant again.
The judge, Mr Justice Fulford, said: "A prison sentence would be wholly inappropriate in this case." He added: "This is an almost indescribably sad case.
"Although the results of Mrs Boots's actions were profoundly tragic given the loss of two young lives, what occurred was not criminal activity in the sense that expression is normally understood.
"I unreservedly accept that what she did to the two children, that she and her husband loved and nurtured, were the results of physical and biological factors beyond her control."
There was no doubt of the strength of the relationship between the couple. "This has always been a happy family," he said. "This is someone who delighted in being a mother and she was good at it."
He said Boots may have hidden the extent of her mental anguish from her husband and family. The judge did not impose any restriction on the time Boots would be detained. Her husband and his family said they did not wish to make any further comments about the case.
It is believed Boots was suffering from severe postnatal depression when she killed her two children at the family's home. Her husband came home from work to find the two children lying side by side on the floor of a walk-in wardrobe. He called emergency services but the children could not be revived.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Boots attempted to take her own life, but did not need medical attention. The formal cause of the children's death has not been confirmed but it is thought they were suffocated.