A 39-year-old mother, who attempted to murder her two children after her husband confessed to an affair, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
The woman, whose identity has been withheld for legal reasons, was convicted of two counts of attempted murder after she drugged her 10-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter in what prosecutors described as a revenge act.
Incident Unfolds
The court heard that in February 2024, after her husband left the family home to be with another woman, the mother stockpiled strong medication at her home in Uckfield, East Sussex. She laced her children’s drinks with a dangerous cocktail of painkillers, antidepressants, and sleeping tablets before tucking them into bed.
She then sent a suicide voicemail to her brother, blaming her estranged husband for the decision to end her own life and those of her children.
https:///www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1989P5WITU
Emergency services, including police, paramedics, and firefighters, rushed to the scene after receiving the distressing message.
Paramedics found the 10-year-old boy lying on a bed covered in vomit, initially believing he was dead. His 13-year-old sister was found wandering in a dazed and confused state. The mother, still conscious but heavily slurring her words, was also found in the bedroom.
All three were rushed to hospital, where the children received lifesaving treatment and eventually recovered.
Court Sentencing
During her arrest, the woman reportedly told officers, “I didn’t force them.”
At Lewes Crown Court, Judge Christine Laing KC condemned her actions, stating that she had been more concerned with her own reputation and personal pain than with her children’s welfare.
“I am satisfied your own sense of being wronged and your concern about your standing in the eyes of your family, friends, and local community far outweighed your concern for your children.”
“You tried to end the lives of your two children to punish [your husband], a terribly selfish reaction which you still fail to see the seriousness of.”
The judge handed down 16-year sentences for each charge, to be served concurrently.
Prosecution Details
Prosecutor Amy Packham told the court that in her suicide voicemail, the woman explicitly blamed her husband and his affair for her actions.
“The reason why I had to end my and my children’s lives is because of these people. My children are very smart and intelligent, but because of those two, we are going to commit suicide.”
A paramedic on the scene recounted the harrowing discovery, saying he found the boy motionless with his eyes wide open, unresponsive, and barely breathing. His sister was found staggering in a confused state, later collapsing and vomiting as she was taken to hospital.
Long-Term Impact on the Children
The court was told that both children have suffered “severe and ongoing psychological harm.” They will have to live the rest of their lives knowing their own mother attempted to kill them.
Defence Arguments
George Payne, defending, claimed that the mother had suffered from a depressive episode, affecting her judgment and reasoning. He argued that she understood the gravity of her actions and deeply regretted the pain she had caused her children.
However, the judge dismissed these arguments, ruling that her “obsession with presenting a perfect family image” had ultimately driven her to commit a premeditated and deliberate act.
Final Verdict
The mother will serve 16 years in prison, a ruling that brings some sense of justice to the two children who narrowly survived.
Authorities have confirmed that safeguarding measures have been put in place for the children, who remain in the care of relatives.
