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Mother jailed for toddler's death Mother jailed for toddler's death
(about 1 hour later)
A woman has been jailed for six years for causing the death of her son by feeding him crushed anti-depressant pills to make him sleep.A woman has been jailed for six years for causing the death of her son by feeding him crushed anti-depressant pills to make him sleep.
Laura-Jane Vestuto, 28, of Clapton, east London, regularly doped 21-month-old Renzo, the Old Bailey heard.Laura-Jane Vestuto, 28, of Clapton, east London, regularly doped 21-month-old Renzo, the Old Bailey heard.
But the drug built up in his body because he was unable to break it down, and on 2 September 2007 Renzo awoke with breathing problems and died.But the drug built up in his body because he was unable to break it down, and on 2 September 2007 Renzo awoke with breathing problems and died.
Vestuto had pleaded guilty to causing or allowing his death.Vestuto had pleaded guilty to causing or allowing his death.
You gave him drugs for purely selfish, self-centred reasons, thinking only of yourself Judge Peter Thornton
A more serious charge of manslaughter was allowed to lie on file after Vestuto pleaded not guilty to that offence.A more serious charge of manslaughter was allowed to lie on file after Vestuto pleaded not guilty to that offence.
He had been a perfectly fit and healthy child Det Insp Keith Braithwaite Judge Peter Thornton told Vestuto: "Instead of bearing the everyday responsibility of being a parent, caring and loving for your son, you embarked on a deliberate course of administering adult drugs, knowing that was wrong and risky.
Tests showed that twice the safe adult dose of Amitriptyline had built up in Renzo's body. "You gave him drugs for purely selfish, self-centred reasons, thinking only of yourself."
Police found traces of the drug on the baby's feeder, and also believe it may have been added to juice or milk. The judge said Vestuto had been prescribed the drug seven times in the months leading up to the boy's death, for backache and to make her sleep, but was not taking it herself when Renzo died.
Det Insp Keith Braithwaite of the Metropolitan Police said: "This drug was commonly used as an anti-depressant in the 1970s and 1980s, but is prescribed to people in pain to make them sleep. Little emotion
"Vestuto was giving Renzo small regular doses, but a child cannot break it down in his body." Tests showed that he had 10 times the adult therapeutic dose in his body.
He added: "He had been a perfectly fit and healthy child." Traces of other drugs, including painkillers, were also found in his system.
Renzo's father, a baker, was not aware of the mother's actions and the couple have since broken up. Police found traces of the Amitriptyline on the baby's feeder, and also believe it may have been added to juice or milk.
Judge Thornton said Vestuto had shown little emotion when her son died after being taken to hospital.
She meant it to help Renzo Isabella Forshall, defending
She had compounded the suffering of her mother and husband by denying giving Renzo the medication - and trying to shift the blame on to them.
Isabella Forshall, defending, said her client had intended to help Renzo.
"Like any parent, she was distressed when he was teething and miserable, and that is why she took the step she did - a desperately reckless one."
Det Insp Keith Braithwaite, of the Metropolitan Police said: "Vestuto was giving Renzo small regular doses, but a child cannot break it down in his body. He had been a perfectly fit and healthy child."