A cannabis addicted mother murdered her two young sons and left them in their bunk bed for their father to discover.
Kara Alexander killed Elijah, two, and Marley, five. She drowned or smothered them in their Dagenham home. The east London location is important. Alexander, aged 47, barricaded the bedroom door. She used the boys’ toys to block the entrance.
Selvin Thomas is the boys’ distraught dad. Selvin arrived to pick up Elijah and Marley. He had planned a weekend visit with his sons. Alexander claimed the boys were sleeping soundly. The dad went to the kids’ bedroom to check them.
He found his two sons lying dead on the bottom bunk. The boys shared the bunk bed. He ran downstairs yelling at Kara. He screamed she killed his children. The shocked and grieving father was in complete disbelief.
Alexander was found guilty of murder. The jury deliberated for under seven hours. This quick verdict is significant in this difficult case. Kingston Crown Court learned Selvin and Alexander split. They broke up three months before this awful crime. Family was broken.
On December 16, 2022, Selvin went to her home. He grew worried since he could not reach her. Concern for his children started to develop. Prosecutor Philip Evans described the scene. He said the boys were bunched up.
It seemed at first like they were just asleep. They had the duvet pulled up high. The covers went to their shoulders. Only their faces were visible to the arriving father. Selvin touched Marley’s face. He touched his right cheek.
Marley was freezing cold and very hard to the touch. He knew they were dead. Selvin immediately called 999. He told the operator that “she killed my children.” Alexander then fled the house and the horrifying scene. She ran through gardens.
Alexander escaped to a neighboring street. Selvin described the frantic scene of realizing his boys were deceased. Selvin said he asked, “Where are the children?” She said, “They’re in bed.” He checked on them and found their fate revealed.
He reported Alexander ran off. She jumped a fence to flee the area. He said his children were dead, on the bunk, and cold. He stated she lost her mind. He said he didn’t know what she had done. He exclaimed that she killed both his little boys.
The court heard no one else entered the house. Only Kara had been inside with her sons. The lack of outside involvement is critical. After arrest, Alexander told police a story. She said she left them in the bath. She admitted to smoking cannabis in the meantime.
Post-mortem exams found the drug in their blood. Both Elijah’s and Marley’s blood contained traces. This revealed drug exposure. The court learned Alexander contacted drug dealers. She was speaking with at least two during this time. This revealed illegal activity.
Mr. Evans spoke about the exposure. He said it might have occurred in a closed space. Cannabis smoke caused their drug exposure. Alexander admitted to gross negligence manslaughter. She broke her duty of care to her sons, she admitted. The prosecution did not accept this plea.
The mom awaits her sentencing. The court will decide Alexander’s fate later. The sentence will reflect the severity of her actions.