A 47-year-old woman from Dagenham, East London, has been handed a life sentence after being convicted of killing her two young children.
Kara Alexander was found guilty of drowning her sons Marley, 5, and Elijah, 2 in the bathtub, later placing their bodies in bed for their father to find.
The disturbing event happened in December 2022 and reached its conclusion at Kingston Crown Court, where Alexander was ordered to serve at least 21 years and 252 days behind bars.
According to the presiding judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, Alexander had been under the influence of potent cannabis, often referred to as “skunk,” which triggered a severe psychotic episode.
He emphasized the case as a stark reminder of the mental health dangers linked to such substances.
The children’s father, Selvin Thomas, had recently separated from Alexander and became concerned after not hearing from her. Upon visiting the house, she claimed the boys were asleep.
However, when he forced his way inside, he found both children unresponsive in their bed. Alexander had already fled by then.
Although she claimed the deaths were accidental and happened while she stepped away to smoke cannabis, the jury rejected her version of events.
They reached a guilty verdict for murder after nearly seven hours of deliberation. Her earlier plea to manslaughter due to gross negligence was dismissed by prosecutors.
In a moving victim impact statement, Thomas said Alexander orchestrated the discovery of the bodies for maximum emotional harm, calling her a “cold-hearted, selfish, and extremely stupid demon.”
