Indefinite hospital order for mum who killed 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.

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

"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."

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.

"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 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."

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.

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.

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".