A British boy allegedly struck his mother to death with a bat, after she became engaged to a man eight months after the death of his father.
James Gethen, 15, allegedly killed his mother a few hours after she announced her engagement on her Facebook.
The accused suffered from meningitis, which may have affected his behavior, reports said. The boy has a record of being in trouble including throwing a brick into a neighbor’s home and being sexually abusive to peers.
Prosecutor Michael Smith told the Daily Mail: “It involved a sustained and savage attack on his mother in the living room of the family home during the course of which the defendant used a baseball bat to strike a number of blows to her head which killed her almost instantaneously.”
His father, Eric, died of cancer a few months ago. Gethen, who had a very close relationship with his father, was reportedly devastated and started smoking and drinking.
According to his consultant psychologists, James still hears the voice of his father from the grave.
The hearing was adjourned while James was sent to local authority accommodation.
By Kang, Yoon-seung
(koreacolin@gmail.com)
Intern reporter
<한글 요약>
英 소년, 아버지가 사망한지 8개월 만에 약혼한 어머니 살해
영국의 한 소년이 아버지가 암으로 사망한지 8개월 만에 약혼 사실을 발표한 어머니를 야구 방망이로 무참히 살해해 법정에 서게 되었다.
문제의 소년은 James Gethen군으로, 아버지가 사망한 후 심리적으로 커다란 충격을 겪고 있던 것으로 밝혀졌다. 부자(父子)관계가 유난히 돈독했던 James군은 술과 담배를 시작했을 정도로 슬픔에 잠겨있던 것으로 나타났고, 심지어 무덤에 아버지 목소리가 들린다고 밝혔다.
한편 전문가들은 해당 아이는 어렸을 때 뇌수막염을 앓았다는 사실을 비추어 볼 때, 심리 발달에 문제가 있었을 것이라고 주장했다.
한편 재판은 추가 정보를 위해 휴정되었고, 소년은 보호시설로 보내졌다.
