A woman in Pennsylvania was convicted of murder after she strangled her 11-year old son to death so he wouldn’t have to face financial struggles with her.
Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead was charged with the murder of her son Matthew Whitehead after his body was discovered inside their Horsham home in April 2023.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office stated, that a judge found DiRienzo-Whitehead guilty of first-degree murder, rejecting an insanity defense that her attorneys had argued for.
On Friday, Dirienzo-Whitehead was sentenced to life in prison.
After DiRienzo-Whitehead was arrested, she told authorities that her family had been struggling financially.
“I didn’t want Matthew to grow up with these struggles. I strangled him with a belt while he was sleeping, so it wouldn’t be so tragic for him,” DiRienzo-Whitehead explained to officers.
Matthew’s father called 911 immediately after he noticed the door to their primary bedroom was locked and the family’s Toyota Highlander was missing. Authorities reached the home and after breaking into the room, they found the lifeless body of Matthew.
According to the police report, Matthew had ligature marks on the front and rear of his neck, his face was swollen and with petechiae to his eyes.
Police found the missing SUV in Cape May, N.J., where DiRienzo-Whitehead had driven it into the ocean. She was found walking around six miles north of the abandoned vehicle. Authorities said they found a belt on the floor of the driver’s side of the SUV.
DiRienzo-Whitehead’s attorney Eugene Tinari expressed disappointment after the verdict, “I believe it was strictly as a result of her being in psychosis and mental illness based on the reasons I said. The love of her child, her character.”
Matthew was a happy and full of life sixth grade at germantown Academy before his tragic passing.
“Matthew was an extraordinary child with a smile as bright as the sun,” the school said in a statement. “We loved him, and we will forever mourn his loss.”
