A WOMAN has been found guilty of murdering her baby son and attempting to murder her daughter.
She stabbed her children in their Belfast home on the evening of Tuesday, July 27, 2021.
Her two-and-a-half year old daughter survived the knife attack, but her eight-week old son died.
Following a trial that spanned over two months at Belfast Crown Court, and after deliberating for five-and-a-half hours, the jury returned guilty verdicts on the two charges today.
The forewoman of the jury broke down in tears as she was asked to give the verdicts.
Once they were delivered, the 30-year-old defendant sobbed in the dock and repeatedly said “no”.
Despite denying the charges, the defendant – who can’t be named to protect the identity of the surviving child – was found guilty by a majority verdict of 10-1 on the charge of murdering her son and unanimously convicted of attempting to murder her daughter.
The judge acknowledged the trial had been “very difficult and stressful” and excused the six women and five men of the jury from further service for life. She also told them counselling would be made available.
During trial, the jury was shown harrowing footage from the bodyworn cameras of police officers who responded to a 999 call made by the defendant.
The videos showed the accused sitting on her living room floor in handcuffs and bleeding from a self-inflicted wound to her neck.
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Both youngsters were rushed to the Accident and Emergency department at the Royal Victoria Hospital for children.
The young girl was successfully treated for a stab wound to her chest, but her baby brother was pronounced dead at 9pm.
The woman spent four days in the witness box at Belfast Crown Court where she was questioned about the events of July 27, 2021 – and where she denied stabbing her children out of spite and malice towards their father.
Sobbing as she gave evidence, the defendant claimed she tried to resuscitate her son after stabbing him in the chest.
She said: “I don’t know what was going on in my mind at that time”, and told the court she wished she could “turn back time.”
The jury rejected her version and found her guilty on both charges.
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