The heartbroken father of Daniel James Hodgson Green broke down in tears as the tot's mother was sentenced for murder. Carol Hodgson killed Daniel, two, in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, during an incident in February this year.
Cleveland Police attended the property on February 2 after a report of concern was made about the toddler. He was taken to hospital but sadly died, Yorkshire Live reports.
The death of the tot shocked the community, with locals holding a vigil and laid flowers at the home. Teesside Crown Court heard how Hodgson "deliberately killed Daniel then made an attempt to kill herself" but her defence stated that she "accepts full responsibility for the murder of her son".
Daniel's father read out a victim impact statement as Hodgson was sentenced on July 15. He broke down in tears while reading out his statement.
He said: “He was my entire world. I used to call him my little star. I miss hearing him laugh and holding him in my arms. The shocking nature of the loss has made everything worse. I now suffer with PTSD and night terrors.
"I haven’t been able to work and have been sick since it all happened. My mam and dad have been broken to the core. Even friends of the family have been hit hard. Some days I find myself thinking it maybe easier if I wasn’t here any longer. I never got to see his first steps or hear his first words. All of that was stolen from me.”
During a police interview, Hodgson said after the breakdown of the relationship with Daniel’s father she sought legal advice. She was due to attend a court hearing the morning of her son’s death as Daniel's father had applied for joint custody.
Hodgson admitted writing the handwritten notes that were left at the scene. However, she refused to accept she had anything to do with Daniel’s death. In a note she said she was sorry for ‘taking Daniel’, Mr McDonald added.
When interviewed under caution, Hodgson denied responsibility for the death of her son and she said she loved Daniel.
She remembered taking tablets as wanted to die, the court heard. She said she did not want to harm Daniel.
Hodgson claimed she could remember nothing after taking the tablets and she said she only planned to kill herself and for her mother to find her.
Carol Hogson has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 18 years and four months.
Judge Paul Watson QC said: "Emergency services found Daniel lifeless and brave efforts were made to revive him but he was already dead. He was suffocated by you.
“Your mother told police on the day of the incident you were due to attend court after Daniel’s father had made an application for more contact with Daniel. There is no doubt this was a premeditated killing. You deliberately killed Daniel then made an attempt to kill yourself. You must have put the bag over his head until you were satisfied he was dead.”
A post-mortem was carried out following the death of the two-year-old boy. Experts recorded Daniel's death as unascertained but said doctors were unable to rule out suffocation.
Defending, Richard Wright QC, said Hodgson accepts full responsibility for the murder of her son.
He said: “There is no part of this mitigation that seeks to avoid that responsibility or shift it to anyone else.
He added: “Nothing we can say can begin to explain or excuse this offence. She asks herself how could she have done this?”
The court heard Hodgson loved Daniel "deeply and her remorse could not be deeper or more genuinely held".
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