Mother with schizophrenia found not guilty in infant's tragic chute death

A 30-year-old woman has been found not criminally responsible for the death of her four-month-old son after throwing him down a garbage chute. Karessa Edwards, who suffered from schizophrenia, acted under severe hallucinations when the tragedy occurred on 20 November 2024. The court heard that she did not understand the wrongfulness of her actions at the time. On the evening of 20 November 2024, Edwards threw her son, Azuri Bacchus, down the garbage chute of their residential building. Emergency services rushed the infant to hospital, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Doctors confirmed that blunt force injuries—either from the fall or compression by the compactor—caused his death.

During the trial, a forensic psychiatrist testified that Edwards met the criteria for a not criminally responsible (NCR) verdict. Her schizophrenia, which began around 2020, had worsened significantly by the time of the incident. She experienced command auditory hallucinations instructing her to dispose of her son in the chute. The psychiatrist confirmed she was unaware her actions were wrong. In court, Azuri’s father, Sadiki Bacchus, delivered a victim impact statement and read a letter addressed to his late son.

The judge ruled that Edwards could not be held criminally liable due to her mental state at the time of the offence. She will now undergo treatment under psychiatric supervision. The case highlights the severe impact of untreated schizophrenia on decision-making and behaviour.