‘Devoted’ mom fatally held her son beneath bathwater ‘to guard him from demons’

A grandmother discovered her “floppy and lifeless” toddler grandson mendacity on the toilet flooring after the boy’s mom held him underwater within the bathtub, a court docket heard. Natalie Steele, 32, instructed her mom and stepfather: “You’d higher come upstairs” after plunging her two-year-old son Reid underwater throughout bathtime on the household dwelling in Bridgend.

Outlining the case at Cardiff Crown Court docket on Tuesday prosecutor Michael Jones QC mentioned it was “fairly clear the defendant had been mentally unwell for numerous months previous to the loss of life of Reid”. Steele, who sat within the dock carrying a darkish sweatshirt, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished accountability which was accepted by the Crown.

Mr Jones mentioned on the time of Reid’s loss of life he and his mom lived in a five-bedroom home within the Broadlands space of Bridgend with grandmother Amanda Prescott, step-grandfather Eric Prescott, and uncle Callum Prescott. “Ms Steele was described by her stepfather Mr Prescott as a ‘good mom’. He mentioned: ‘She at all times tended to Reid and was at all times dedicated to Reid. She did counting with him and instructing him colors. He was so clever due to all of the issues she did with him. They had been at all times collectively and inseparable. We’ve got by no means needed to fear about Reid, that’s why we’re in shock. Since day one she was dedicated to him and he would need for nothing’.”

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The prosecutor instructed the court docket that final summer season the defendant struck up a friendship with a girl named Heidi Ackland and subsequently joined her church in Bridgend. “Ms Prescott mentioned Natalie began sleeping once more and described her because the Natalie earlier than her relationship with Reid’s father,” mentioned Mr Jones.

“She began going to church and met with folks in church and socialised with them. They’d make picnics and go to the seashore. Ms Prescott mentioned Natalie was having an exquisite time and so was Reid. Ms Prescott described how there got here some extent when the defendant was seeing lights when she was drained and talked about demons. She was quoted as saying: ‘The demons are darkish and actual’. She additionally mentioned: ‘The rooms had been feeling completely different’ however Ms Prescott tried to reassure her.”

The court docket heard Steele and her son joined a church tenting journey to New Quay which started on August 9 final yr however on August 11 Ms Ackland went to select her up following issues concerning the defendant’s behaviour. Mr Jones mentioned Ms Ackland “mentioned the defendant was talking gibberish, telling lies, and had a modified facial features and her voice modified”. He instructed the court docket: “She was speaking about scapegoats and needed to have a sacrifice, that she was the sacrifice however everybody else could be all proper.

“Ms Ackland believed the defendant’s behaviour was attributable to a demon so Ms Ackland calmed her down and mentioned ‘We forged you out in Jesus’ identify’.

She mentioned this didn’t work they usually began to hope together with her. The choice was made to take the defendant dwelling. They put Reid in his automobile seat they usually left at 3pm.”

Ms Ackland dropped Steele and her son again to the household dwelling however at 7.41pm Ms Ackland acquired a message from the defendant which learn: ‘I’ve executed one thing horrible, I felt like I needed to shield Reid from my household’. Mr Jones instructed the court docket: “Ms Ackland tried to name her however there was no reply. She drove straight to the defendant’s dwelling with a pal and as they received nearer to the property they may see an ambulance and police automobiles and he or she spoke to a police officer.”

Mr Jones mentioned Steele’s household might see the defendant “wasn’t herself” after coming back from the journey however they “simply shrugged it off”. He added: “Mrs Prescott spoke with Reid and he instructed her he had had a beautiful time on the seashore, performed with diggers, there had been a birthday and he had had enjoyable. He was speaking in full sentences and appeared actually pleased and was consuming plenty of Jelly Infants.”

The court docket heard Steele spoke to Reid and mentioned: “Reidy-Roo, let’s eat our toast and go for a shower.” Mr Jones instructed the court docket: “The defendant took Reid upstairs and Mrs Prescott mentioned it was nothing out of the atypical for the defendant and Reid to be within the bathtub for a very long time and had been in there for an hour or extra. Typically she would soar within the bathtub with him or sit by him and play or sing collectively.

“Mrs Prescott and her husband had been having meals downstairs when the defendant got here downstairs and mentioned: ‘You’d higher come upstairs, I feel, I feel, I’ve executed…’. Mrs Prescott described going into panic mode as a result of Reid was not together with her. She mentioned: ‘What have you ever executed?’ and the defendant mentioned: ‘Reid, the bathtub’.

“She ran upstairs and noticed Reid mendacity in the midst of the toilet flooring along with his eyes broad open. Mrs Prescott started CPR and requested her husband to name 999. Reid was described as floppy and lifeless. Mrs Prescott and Mr Prescott took it in turns to manage CPR because the defendant stared vacantly, ran her arms by means of her hair, was shaking whereas strolling up and down.

“Mrs Prescott mentioned Reid had meals in his mouth so pulled it out. They pulled him to the facet and water got here out from his nostril and mouth. At 7.41pm the 999 name was made and Callum instructed the operator Reid was not respiration. CPR continued on Reid with the emergency operator counting them by means of chest compressions.”

When police arrived Steele was seen sitting on the prime of the steps and was described as “seemingly staring into house”. Mr Jones mentioned: “They went into the toilet and paramedics had been attending to Reid who was mendacity throughout the toilet flooring along with his toes dealing with the door. Officers left the toilet to talk to relations. The defendant was sat together with her knees folded as much as her chest and her arms on her head. Mrs Prescott was visibly upset and crying and had her head in her arms.”

The officers, the defendant, and her mom went downstairs to talk to the emergency response officer. The defendant mentioned she was within the toilet enjoying cups of tea and mentioned she had been actually apprehensive about her household and had creeping eyes. She instructed officers she had issues with spirits who had been touching her.

Mrs Prescott mentioned to her daughter: ‘You probably did it?’ and Steele mentioned: “I felt like I needed to shield him from you.” Mrs Prescott turned distressed however Steele confirmed little emotion.

Mrs Prescott shouted: “You drowned him” and Steele mentioned she had been within the bathtub with Reid however was so apprehensive about him and wanted to guard him. She mentioned: “I then held him beneath the water” and put her arms one on prime of the opposite in illustration. She mentioned she took Reid out of the bathtub and wrapped him in a towel and held him.

Steele was arrested on suspicion of the tried homicide of Reid, who was taken to the College Hospital of Wales in Cardiff by air ambulance. He was discovered to be affected by signs of drowning and hypothermia. His situation deteriorated and regardless of the very best efforts of medical personnel he was pronounced useless at 3.35pm on August 12.

Within the custody suite at Bridgend Steele mentioned she didn’t wish to reside anymore and that she couldn’t reside with out her son, additionally saying: “I used to be purported to take care of him ceaselessly.”

She additionally mentioned: “I felt the household needed to kill Reid, I felt like I wanted to guard him and I felt like they had been going to kill him. I don’t understand how I did it.” One other remark she made, the court docket heard, was: “He’s gone due to me, I did it.”

She described her household as having “demons in them” and their behaviour and voices had been “unusual”. She mentioned she was “frightened and scared” and took Reid exterior to get away from them after coming back from the tenting journey.

Throughout her second police interview Steele mentioned she thought she might have been defending Reid by “sending him to heaven for defense from God”. She denied she was attempting to baptise Reid when she held him beneath the water.

A autopsy examination was carried out on Reid on the College Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on August 13. The court docket heard that because of the extended resuscitation and the time between the incident and Reid’s loss of life any signal of drowning would have been misplaced. The official reason behind loss of life was given as hypoxic ischemic mind harm on account of cardiac arrest.

Steele was assessed by marketing consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Philip Huckle on November 3 and January 10. He mentioned on the time of Reid’s loss of life Steele thought her household had been “performing bizarre, had huge eyes” and interpreted it as “being demonic”. In his report Dr Huckle mentioned: “I’m of the view this mom described as dedicated to Reid was so psychotic on the time she was deluded her household had been demonic and a few hurt would fall to Reid and put him underwater to guard him.”

He mentioned Steele was struggling psychotic melancholy which meant she couldn’t perceive the character of her conduct and was unable to kind rational judgement or train self-control. Dr Huckle added: “For my part she had diminished accountability on the time of killing Reid. Being so mentally unwell does present a proof for her actions.”

One other marketing consultant forensic psychiatrist, Dr Tom Wynne, got here to an identical conclusion. He mentioned he believed the defendant “had been labouring beneath a psychological dysfunction for numerous months” previous to Reid’s loss of life and mentioned she had an “unrecognised, undiagnosed and untreated severe psychological sickness and was so deluded she drowned her son to guard him from demons and ship him to heaven” which suggests her culpability was low.

Choose Michael Fitton QC made Steele the topic of orders beneath the Psychological Well being Act, sections 37 and 41, fairly than handing her a jail sentence. He mentioned: “This was at all times, on that proof, a case of traditional diminished accountability…. You had been attempting to guard your son from demons you had seen and to ship him to heaven. You wouldn’t in any other case have harmed him in any approach. You had been described as a faithful and fantastic mom.”

He mentioned Steele would obtain remedy specializing in her psychological well being wants and it was not applicable for her to be handled by an order of a hybrid nature. The decide additionally formally discovered Steele not responsible of homicide. Because the defendant left the court docket she briefly waved to relations.

Addressing Steele’s household, Choose Fitton mentioned: “I’ve seen or learn nothing to allow me to conclude anybody, both right here or not right here immediately, is at fault or carries any blame for her sickness, not being handled or occasions of what passed off….

“Not considered one of you current in the home carries any blame or accountability in any respect…. Please bear in mind these phrases. You might be by no means in charge.”

Following the case Reid Steele’s household mentioned in a press release: “Our lives have modified ceaselessly. We are going to at all times have a chunk lacking from our household. Reid was essentially the most beloved, stunning, humorous, clever and loving little boy who touched the hearts of everybody he met. Natalie actually was an exquisite mom.

“He had an exquisite life which was full of holidays and enjoyable adventures amassing shells and pebbles on the seashore with Natalie. He spent a lot time along with his household who beloved him so very a lot. The ache we really feel at Reid’s loss can by no means be correctly expressed with phrases.

“As a household we unanimously agree that the decide’s resolution immediately was the correct one. Natalie will proceed to obtain the remedy she must hopefully, in time, get higher.

“Psychological well being circumstances can typically be horrifying, difficult, and, most significantly, not at all times seen till it’s too late. However there’s assist on the market. Please don’t be afraid to succeed in out.”

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