Mum drowned sons in bath, dressed them in pyjamas and put them in bed together

A mother who drowned her two young sons, aged five and two, before dressing them in pyjamas and placing them in bed has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Kara Alexander, 47, was found guilty of the murders of two year old Elijah and five year old Marley Thomas in December 2022, having drowned them in a bathtub. Post-mortem examinations confirmed that the cause of death was either drowning or suffocation.

During the trial, Alexander maintained that their deaths were accidental, claiming she had fallen asleep after putting them in the bath. On the weekend of the tragic incident, the children's father was scheduled to pick them up but grew increasingly concerned when his ex-partner failed to respond to his messages and calls.

He decided to check on them at their home, where Alexander informed him that they were asleep upstairs.

Upon going upstairs, he discovered his sons lying motionless side by side, dressed in their pyjamas, on the lower bunk of their shared bed, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Overwhelmed with grief, the father rushed out of the house to seek help, only to find that Alexander had fled through neighbouring gardens to another street. Emergency services arrived at the scene but were unable to revive Elijah and Marley, who had been deceased for several hours.

A police manhunt ensued, resulting in Alexander being located approximately an hour later.

At Kingston Crown Court, Alexander refuted the murder accusations, claiming she was asleep when her children drowned in the bath. However, prosecutors presented evidence to Kingston Crown Court showing that due to the children's ages, accidental drowning was highly unlikely.

They argued the only plausible cause of death was Alexander's deliberate intervention.

Today at Kingston Crown Court, Mr Justice Bennathan delivered Alexander a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years and 252 days.

Samantha Yelland from the Crown Prosecution Service commented: "Our thoughts remain with Elijah and Marley's family and friends who have been completely devastated by their loss."

Describing the tragedy, Ms Yelland said: "It is unimaginable to think what those poor children went through in their final moments. It is a parent's job to keep their children safe and Kara Alexander not only failed to do that, but robbed them of their lives. I hope today's verdict will provide the family with some closure knowing now that Alexander has been held accountable for their murders."

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Waller, lead investigator, spoke following Alexander's conviction in late February: "Our thoughts are with the family, especially the boys' father who found them dead when he went to collect them for the weekend after Kara Alexander had failed to return his messages."

He reflected on the anguish experienced by the bereaved family, saying: "No parent should have to go through such a horrific experience, and then have to listen to the detailed evidence highlighting what led up to these events.

"I would also like to praise those who were first on scene – our colleagues and the paramedics – who also experienced this traumatic event first hand.

"This has been a difficult investigation for everyone involved. This guilty verdict cannot turn back the clock but it does provide the children's family with some form of resolution."