Current:Home > StocksPennsylvania mom convicted of strangling 11-year-old son, now faces life sentence-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Pennsylvania mom convicted of strangling 11-year-old son, now faces life sentence
View Date:2025-01-12 21:59:23
HORSHAM, Pa. (AP) — A mother who strangled her 11-year-old son at their Pennsylvania home last year and then went to New Jersey where she drove her SUV into the ocean has been convicted of murder.
Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, 51, of Horsham, faces a mandatory life term when she’s sentenced Friday. She was found guilty Thursday following a bench trial.
DiRienzo-Whitehead’s lawyers argued she strangled her son, Matthew Whitehead, with a belt on April 10 because she was having a psychotic break due to financial concerns and family issues, and felt she was sparing her son a painful life. A defense expert testified DiRienzo-Whitehead was suffering from depression and mental illness at the time.
Montgomery County prosecutors argued the killing was premeditated, saying she had made numerous online searches on how to strangle someone and did research on mental illnesses that lead women to kill their own children. They also said DiRienzo-Whitehead blamed her husband for the family’s financial issues and was motivated to kill by a mix of anger and revenge.
After killing her son, DiRienzo-Whitehead drove to Cape May, New Jersey, where her SUV was found partially submerged in the ocean. She was later found walking in nearby Wildwood Crest, where she was taken into custody.
veryGood! (627)
Related
- Kyle Richards Swears This Holiday Candle Is the Best Scent Ever and She Uses It All Year
- Q&A: Heather McTeer Toney Reflects on the Ongoing Struggle for Environmental Justice in America
- In the Pacific, Some Coral Survived the Last El Nino, Thanks to Ocean Currents
- Music Legend Tony Bennett Dead at 96
- Mississippi man charged with shooting 5 people after not being allowed into party
- This Summer’s Heatwaves Would Have Been ‘Almost Impossible’ Without Human-Caused Warming, a New Analysis Shows
- Kim Kardashian Shares Regret Over Fast Pete Davidson Romance
- RHOA Alum NeNe Leakes' Son Bryson Arrested on Felony Drug Possession Charges
- A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome
- Get a $198 J.Crew Dress for $32 and More Jaw-Dropping Deals Starting at $6
Ranking
- US inflation may have picked up in October after months of easing
- Salma Hayek’s Secret to Maintaining Her Appearance Will Surprise You
- True Thompson and Chicago West Mischievously Pay Tribute to Moms Khloe Kardashian and Kim Kardashian
- Kim Kardashian and Tristan Thompson Party in Miami After Watching Lionel Messi's MLS Debut
- Appeals Court Affirms Conviction of Everglades Scientist Accused of Stealing ‘Trade Secrets’
- How Soccer Player Naomi Girma Is Honoring Late Friend Katie Meyer Ahead of the World Cup
- You'll Flip Over Tarek El Moussa's Fitness Transformation Photos
- How Dance Moms Trauma Helped Inspire Kalani Hilliker's Mental Health Journey
Recommendation
-
‘Maybe Happy Ending’ review: Darren Criss shines in one of the best musicals in years
-
3 injured in shooting outside Philadelphia bar, police say
-
As East Harlem Waits for Infrastructure Projects to Mitigate Flood Risk, Residents Are Creating Their Own Solutions
-
Experts Study Using Waste Plastic in Roads and More, but Find the Practice Isn’t Ready for Prime Time
-
Denzel Washington teases retirement — and a role in 'Black Panther 3'
-
How YouTuber Annabelle Ham Refused to Let Struggle With Epilepsy Control Her Life Before Tragic Death
-
You'll Bend and Snap for Reese Witherspoon and Daughter Ava Phillippe's Latest Twinning Moment
-
Weather off the coast of Acapulco hinders efforts to find missing Baltimore man