Mother killed autistic son 'to get rest', court hears

[Guest guest]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8503800/Mother-killed-autistic-son-\

to-get-rest-court-hears.html

Mother killed autistic son 'to get rest', court hears

A mother strangled her severely autistic 11-year-old son before trying to take

her own life in the hope that she would " finally get rest " , a court heard.

6:30AM BST 10 May 2011

Freaney, 49, who had marital difficulties, was found in a hotel room with

multiple knife wounds, but survived. She told police that her son, Glen, was in

heaven, adding: " He'll be happy now. "

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Freaney and her son, who needed one-to-one care,

had a " loving and devoted relationship " .

But there had been a " general build-up of pressure " on Freaney as she felt her

marriage was at its end, and she had been unable to find anywhere for herself

and her son to live. Freaney, who has three other children aged 14 to 23, had

moved out of the home she shared with her husband , 48, a former RAF

officer, and had been living in hotels for about a month before her son's death.

She told police that she used a belt to strangle her son in her room at the Sky

Plaza hotel in Rhoose, Cardiff.

Officers found her sitting on the bed with knife wounds to her wrists, arms,

shoulder, chest and feet. She had laid out her son's body, having dressed him in

smart clothes and surrounded him with his favourite cuddly toys.

She told the officers: " I killed him about 36 hours ago. I tried to join him.

" He's severely autistic, he's in heaven now where he won't be autistic. He'll be

happy now. " The court heard that Freaney had written a number of suicide notes.

One to her 14-year-old son wished him " good luck in the future " .

" You may not understand what has happened but just think of it as I am finally

getting rest, " she wrote.

In a letter to her family, she said: " If there is a heaven, all men are equal,

he won't have autism. My mum and dad will look after him as I will go to a

different place, unless I get God's forgiveness. "

She added: " It is funny. He was laughing when I was strangling him. That is when

I knew he was happy. I had to do it because now no one can point fingers at

him. "

Another note read: " I asked Glen every day if he wanted to be with dad or at

Ashgrove [his special school] and he just pointed at me.

" I kept telling him that if he stays with me he will have to go to sleep

forever. He keeps saying yes. "

Freaney said her only regret was that she had not taken her own life.

She told doctors that she did not want to leave Glen on his own, that her

husband would not be able to cope and it would have been cruel to leave him

behind.

The court heard that Glen could walk, run and ride a bike, and was excited by

police cars and fire engines, but he did not talk.

Greg , QC, prosecuting, said: " He was generally fit and well and had a

normal life expectancy but he was totally dependent on adult care. He needed

help dressing, washing, brushing his teeth and feeding. "

Mr said Glen was always pleased to see his mother, who was a responsible

parent. " No one doubted her devotion to care for him long-term, " he added.

Freaney, of Penarth, near Cardiff, denies murder but has admitted manslaughter.

The trial continues.

[Guest guest]

With that kind of story, she'll probably get a slap on the wrist and worst.

In a message dated 5/10/2011 12:17:48 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

A mother strangled her severely autistic 11-year-old son before trying to take her own life in the hope that she would "finally get rest", a court heard.

[Guest guest]

With that kind of story, she'll probably get a slap on the wrist and worst.

In a message dated 5/10/2011 12:17:48 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

A mother strangled her severely autistic 11-year-old son before trying to take her own life in the hope that she would "finally get rest", a court heard.