42-year-old Karolina Zurawska, from Gendros was given a hospital order under section 37 of the mental health act after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of her six-year-old son and the attempted murder of her father in an incident in Gendros, Swansea, on Thursday, 29 August last year.
A plea on the grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted by the prosecution based upon reports from forensic psychiatrists.
In a statement issued by South Wales Police, family members described Zurawska’s 6-year-old son Aleksander as a “very kind child” who “loved playing with his little sister and playing with his dog, Daisy.”
They said he was “very clever and mature for his age” and spoke in both English and Polish, “often correcting his parents with their English if they got words wrong”.
Staff and pupils at Whitestone Primary School in West Cross were “devastated” by his death, headteacher Bethan Peterson said, adding that he had been “extremely loved and popular amongst his peers, staff and all who knew him”.
At Swansea Crown Court, Zurawska also admitted to the attempted murder of her father, 67-year-old Krzysztof Siwy.
Sentencing Zurawsky to an indefinite hospital order, Judge Paul Thomas QC said: “The often overused word of tragic does not begin to reflect the awfulness that happened that day to Alexander. Those who know you and your relationship with Alexander have described you as a doting, loving, caring mother.”
“You are not a wicked mother, far from it – you are a mother whose mental state deteriorated over your care of Alexander. You did something to Alexander that would never have entered your mind had it not been for your mental state.”
“I entirely agree with the three psychiatrists that this is a case that calls not for punishment but for ongoing lifelong medical help. Even if you do recover mentally, the burden of what happened will always be with you.”
“I also have a duty to the wider public. I must ensure that you are only released back to society if and when there is no risk to anyone else, that day, of course, many never come.”
“I can not end without mentioning Alexander. His brief life was one of bravery, battling health issues. It was a life filled with love given and received, and for those who knew him, he will never be forgotten, and they will never stop loving him.”
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Davies from South Wales Police said: “This was a tragic and deeply distressing incident which has had a profound effect on the whole community in Gendros, as well as the staff and pupils at Aleksander’s school. They will all have been devastated to hear of Aleksander’s death.
“The local community in Gendros were outstanding in terms of their support for our investigation at what was an extremely trying time.
“Our thoughts remain with Aleksander’s family and friends.”
This is so sad to see