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20/07/2009
Mother Detained Over Children's Deaths
A pregnant mother who pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of two of her children and the attempted manslaughter of a third, has been committed to a psychiatric hospital.
Sasikala Navaneethan, 36, from Carshalton, south London, killed her five-year-old son, Shanjayan, and four-year-old daughter, Sharani, by cutting their throats in May last year at the family home in Park Lane, Carshalton. Another daughter, Trishana, who was aged six months at the time, survived the attacks.
Mrs Navaneethan took rat poison following the attacks and said that she had stabbed her children because she did not want to leave them behind.
The Old Bailey heard how Mrs Navaneethan had claimed that she was unable to cope as her husband Navarajah, 39, worked from 6.30am to 11pm in the convenience store he ran in Brighton Road, Croydon.
Her husband had told police that the family life was happy and that the local medical centre said that his wife had not complained of suffering from any mental problems. However, the court was told that Mrs Navaneethan had suffered a breakdown around the age of 18 during the civil war in Sri Lanka, prior to coming to Britain.
She told psychiatrists that she had suffered depression and had delusions following the birth of her youngest daughter.
Dr Paul Chesterman told the court that Mrs Navaneethan had reacted to her domestic situation and sense of isolation, as well as her mental illness.
David Etherington QC, defending, also said that Mrs Navaneethan may have felt unable to confide in her GP because of cultural expectations. He also said that she had responded to medication and was filled with terrible guilt over what had happened.
The Common Serjeant, Judge Brian Barker, told Mrs Navaneethan said that the case was "profoundly sad and tragic" and said that she needed "treatment rather than punishment".
Mrs Navaneethan has been sent to the psychiatric hospital for an indeterminate length of time.
(KMcA/BMcC)
Sasikala Navaneethan, 36, from Carshalton, south London, killed her five-year-old son, Shanjayan, and four-year-old daughter, Sharani, by cutting their throats in May last year at the family home in Park Lane, Carshalton. Another daughter, Trishana, who was aged six months at the time, survived the attacks.
Mrs Navaneethan took rat poison following the attacks and said that she had stabbed her children because she did not want to leave them behind.
The Old Bailey heard how Mrs Navaneethan had claimed that she was unable to cope as her husband Navarajah, 39, worked from 6.30am to 11pm in the convenience store he ran in Brighton Road, Croydon.
Her husband had told police that the family life was happy and that the local medical centre said that his wife had not complained of suffering from any mental problems. However, the court was told that Mrs Navaneethan had suffered a breakdown around the age of 18 during the civil war in Sri Lanka, prior to coming to Britain.
She told psychiatrists that she had suffered depression and had delusions following the birth of her youngest daughter.
Dr Paul Chesterman told the court that Mrs Navaneethan had reacted to her domestic situation and sense of isolation, as well as her mental illness.
David Etherington QC, defending, also said that Mrs Navaneethan may have felt unable to confide in her GP because of cultural expectations. He also said that she had responded to medication and was filled with terrible guilt over what had happened.
The Common Serjeant, Judge Brian Barker, told Mrs Navaneethan said that the case was "profoundly sad and tragic" and said that she needed "treatment rather than punishment".
Mrs Navaneethan has been sent to the psychiatric hospital for an indeterminate length of time.
(KMcA/BMcC)
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