Yahoo News Pictures released of beloved wife who was killed by her own son during 'psychotic episode'
A picture has been released of a beloved mum and wife who was tragically killed by her own son during a "psychotic episode". Michele Romano, from Bicknacre, was stabbed by her son Sebastian Compton at his flat in Readers Court, Great Baddow in February this year.
A 999 call was made on February 9 this year from a member of the public concerned by the appearance of a man in Chelmsford. Ambulance service colleagues and officers were deployed to Chelmerton Avenue shortly after 2.30pm, where they found 47-year-old Compton wandering the streets in pyjamas and a hoodie with his hands covered in blood.
When officers arrived, Sebastian Compton was sitting in the rear of an ambulance. He stated he had just killed his mother and stabbed her multiple times. Police and ambulance drove to his home address in Readers Court, where they found Michele, who, despite the best efforts of paramedics, sadly died at the scene.
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She had been stabbed multiple times in the head, chest, arms and torso. Chelmsford Crown Court heard today (November 21) that Compton had paranoid schizophrenia but had been stable for 16 years thanks to taking anti-psychotic medicine clozapine. However, he stopped taking the medication in the weeks prior to killing his mother, which led to a downward spiral of his mental health.
Initially, Compton denied Michele’s murder but later pleaded guilty to her manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He was handed an indefinite hospital order by Judge Mary Loram KC today.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Michele Romano's husband, Thierry Romano, said he felt there had been "failures" in the handling of his step-son's care, saying the impact of losing his wife had been "unbearable". Mr Jackson said: "He speaks of the frustration, the what ifs; he makes the point that the tragedy could have been so easily prevented. He refers to missed opportunities and failures."
Mr Romano stated Compton had been walking in the middle of the night before the killing to be admitted to hospital as "a cry for help" before waiting in A&E for hours and then leaving. The court heard hospital staff informed the police about Compton leaving but "no action was taken" according ro Mr Romano.
His statement added: "A simple call, an effort to locate him or visit to his house would have prevented this tragedy. Instead Mr Compton went back to the flat, likely drank a few beers and went to bed before Michelle arrived and unknowingly walked into the death trap.
"Why is it allowed to happen? Why wasn't the mental health team monitoring him and try to prevent this from happening? Those are the questions I desperately need answers to but will probably never get and be left with the unbearble consequences that followed."
