An evil killer who murdered her two-year-old son told her mother "you don't want to see this" in a sickening note left at the scene.
Carol Hodgson suffocated son Daniel with a plastic vacuum bag before attempting to take her own life at her home on Upper Garth Gardens, Guisborough, on February 2. She was found by her mother who performed CPR on her until paramedics arrived and desperately tried to save the unresponsive toddler, Teesside Live reports.
On the day of the crime, Hodgson was expected to appear at the family court after Daniel's father applied for joint custody, Teesside Crown Court heard. Paul Watson QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough concluded that the murder was a "premeditated killing".
When interviewed under caution, Hodgson denied killing her son saying that she remembered taking tablets and wanting to kill herself but she did not want to harm Daniel. The 40-year-old was found with two wounds to her neck and a bloody kitchen knife lay nearby.
She said she could remember nothing after taking the tablets and said that her plan was to kill only herself. However, investigation found she had suffocated Daniel with a bag and she later pleaded guilty.
A chilling note left inside the house of horror where she took the life of little Daniel was addressed to her mum, and read: "Mama, sorry you don't want to see this, just ring the police! I am gone, I am so sorry. I love you. xxx"
Sentencing Judge Watson said: "There is no doubt but that this was a premeditated killing which had been planned by you in advance. You deliberately killed Daniel and then made a determined attempt to kill yourself which was prevented by the arrival of your mother.
"Daniel was examined by a forensic pathologist, Dr Louise Mulcahy who found the cause of Daniel’s death, whilst strictly unascertained, was in keeping with asphyxia caused by the application of a plastic bag. DNA from both Daniel and yourself was found within the bag. You must have put the bag over his head and held it there until you were satisfied that you had killed him."
Hodgson was sentenced to life imprisonment and will serve a minum of 18 years and four months in prison.
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