Headline

Cannabis-smoking Mother Bags Life Jail For Drowning Two Sons

Published

1 year ago

April 13, 2025

A cannabis-smoking mother who drowned her two young sons, aged two and five, and tucked them into bed for their father to find has been sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday and will serve a minimum of 21 years, Daily Mail reports.

The 47-year-old mother, Kara Alexander, of Dagenham, East London in the United Kingdom, was found guilty of murdering Elijah Thomas, two, and Marley Thomas, five, in the bath at their home in December 2022.

At Kingston Crown Court on Friday, Justice Bennathan reportedly sentenced Alexander to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years and 252 days.

He also warned that Alexander’s reliance on super-strength cannabis, known as skunk, should serve as a warning that it can ‘plunge people into a mental health crisis in which they may harm themselves or others’.

The boys’ father Selvin Thomas was reported to have found found his sons lying dead on their bunk beds after they were killed by their mother. They had been tucked in but he immediately knew they were dead, describing them as cold and hard to the touch.

Thomas, who had split up with Alexander just three months earlier, reportedly began screaming, “Kara, Kara, Kara. You’ve killed my children.” But she had already fled the house and he called the police.

He was due to have the boys that weekend and was worried because he had not received any messages or calls from Alexander. When he arrived at their home his ex-partner said they were upstairs sleeping before slamming the door in his face.

But after he demanded entry, he reportedly ran to his sons’ bedroom to find they had been murdered, and their bodies lying side-by-side on their lower bunk bed. By the time the horrified father ran downstairs Alexander had fled.

She was arrested about an hour later and later claimed she had left the boys in the bath alone while she smoked cannabis.

“They had the duvet up to their shoulders, only their faces were visible. He touched Marley’s face, on his right cheek, and he was freezing cold and hard. He knew immediately that they were dead and thought they had been dead for some time,” prosecutor Philip Evans reportedly told the court.

The cause of death was drowning or suffocation.

On Friday at Kingston Crown Court, Evans read out the victim impact statement of Thomas, who could not be present due to illness saying.

“The events of December 2022, have obviously had a profound impact on me and my family,” he said in Selvin Thomas’ words.

“Kara ensured there would be maximum impact on me by engineering a situation where I would find Marley and Elijah deceased in bed. I am coming to terms with the fact I dedicated seven years of my life to a cold-hearted, selfish and extremely stupid demon.

“I believe Kara’s intention was to frame me for the murders and somehow present herself as a victim. She was able to brutally end the lives of two innocent children, put them in the bed and wait calmly for me.

“She has shown no remorse or provided any kind of explanation or apology, she did not consider the impact this would have. Despite the correct verdict being handed down, there still remain many unanswered questions. It is a pain that follows me all day, every day and will do for the rest of my life,” he read.

On her part, Alexander had reportedly claimed it was “an accident” when she left the boys in the bath as she smoked cannabis.

The report stated that after deliberating for six hours and 54 minutes, the jury at Kingston Crown Court found Alexander guilty of two counts of murder.

Jailing her on Friday morning, Justice Bennathan reportedly told Alexander, “The heavy use of skunk or other hyper strong strains of cannabis can plunge people into a mental health crisis in which they may harm themselves or others. If any drug user does not know that, it is about time they did.

“On the evening of December 15, 2022, you had been smoking skunk, you had been doing so for weeks before, probably longer. You drowned them both, I cannot reach any conclusion other than by your state at that time you intended to kill them.

“The bath was probably still run from the evening routine and I do not think your dreadful acts were pre-meditated. The next morning their father, worried by your unusual signs, came and found them – the stuff of nightmares.

“I find you were in a psychotic state when you killed your two sons. On the proper medical definition, I accept that it was cannabis induced, even if there were other contributing causes.

“That finding of psychosis is consistent with the jury’s rejection to your defence of diminished responsibility. You had a previous psychotic episode in 2016.

“I also note that in December 2022, you spoke regularly to two members of your social circle about your heavy cannabis use, they both knew you were looking after small children, yet neither of them warned you of any risks.”

The judge added that her “shocking abuse of trust that any small child ought to be able to have in their mother or father” was a significant aggravating factor.

“You not only lack any previous convictions but before that terrible evening you had been a caring mother, that stands as a stark contrast of what normally happens when a child is killed. You may not have been told that your previous psychotic state could be triggered by cannabis.

“Every day you will remember and grieve the little boys whose lives you snatched away,” he was quoted as saying.

Marley and Elijah, also known as Teddy, had previously lived with Alexander and Thomas in Hackney before they split up and she moved to Dagenham with the boys.

Headline

FG Summons S. African Envoy Over Rising Xenophobic Attacks On Nigerians

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

The Federal Government has summoned the Acting High Commissioner of South Africa in Abuja over renewed concerns about xenophobic attacks and protests targeting foreign nationals, including Nigerians, living in that country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the envoy is expected at its headquarters on Monday, May 4, 2026, for a high-level engagement aimed at addressing the growing tension and safeguarding bilateral relations between both countries.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said Nigeria would formally express its “profound concern” over recent developments in South Africa, particularly reports of harassment, violence, and destruction of property belonging to foreign nationals.

According to the ministry, the meeting will focus on ongoing demonstrations by various groups in South Africa and documented cases of attacks on Nigerians and their businesses in parts of the country.

“The objective of this engagement is to formally convey the Nigerian Government’s profound concern regarding recent events that have the potential to impact the established cordial relations between Nigeria and South Africa,” the statement read.

It added that discussions would also address ongoing demonstrations by various groups within South Africa and documented instances of mistreatment of Nigerian citizens and attacks on their businesses.

The ministry acknowledged growing anger among Nigerians over reports of xenophobic violence but urged restraint, stressing that diplomatic engagement remained the preferred channel for resolution.

It assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was actively engaging South African authorities to ensure the protection of its citizens abroad.

“The Ministry is aware of the growing discontent among Nigerians concerning the treatment of their nationals in South Africa. Nevertheless, it implores the Nigerian public to remain calm and reiterates the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of Nigerian citizens residing in South Africa,” the statement added.

The latest diplomatic move comes amid renewed reports of xenophobic tensions in parts of South Africa, where foreign-owned businesses have occasionally been targeted during protests linked to unemployment and economic hardship.

South Africa has a history of xenophobic violence dating back to 2008, with subsequent flare-ups in 2015 and 2019, when mobs attacked migrants, looted shops, and displaced thousands of foreign nationals across several provinces.

In past incidents, Nigerians and other African nationals were among those affected, prompting strong diplomatic reactions from Abuja and calls for stronger protection of foreign communities.

While South African authorities have repeatedly condemned such attacks and deployed security forces to restore order during outbreaks of violence, concerns have persisted over recurring hostility in some communities.

Headline

Mississippi Man ‘Kills Mother, Flushes Her Remains Down Toilet’

Published

4 days ago

May 2, 2026

Editor

A 29-year-old Mississippi man, Zachary Lavel Jackson Jr., has been charged with multiple offences, including first-degree murder, over the death of his mother, Lana Brown Bradley, after deputies responded to her Natchez home on April 4 following a missing person report from relatives.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to Bradley’s residence after her oldest son was unable to reach her the previous day.

Jackson was initially identified as a family member before investigators confirmed he was her son.

Sheriff Travis Patten described the case as deeply disturbing.“This is by far the most heinous crime that I’ve ever witnessed in my entire life. We weren’t out there that day; this was one of those things when we walked up.

“This was one of those cases that you will never, ever forget in your life. This is the type of case that follows you home,” Patten told WJTV.

According to the sheriff, deputies noticed signs of a recent cleanup when they arrived at the home.

“As soon as they walked in the house, they could just see where somebody had been cleaning up, and they could smell chemicals all throughout the house.

“Floor was extremely slippery. And the older son said that this is just unusual for the youngest son to be cleaning up the house like that,” Patten explained.

Jackson, the youngest son, was found in a bathroom, where deputies allegedly made a discovery that became central to the investigation.

“I can say what was in the toilet, and it was her flesh. He chopped her up in pieces and dismembered her in a way that whoever came looking for her would have to do their due diligence to find her, and that’s just what we did,” the sheriff said.

Authorities said Jackson allegedly placed parts of his mother’s body in a suitcase and attempted to dispose of other remains.

Jackson faces charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, mayhem and tampering with evidence.

Headline

Iran Says War With US May Resume As Trump Rejects Proposal

Published

4 days ago

May 2, 2026

Editor

Iran’s military has warned that the war with the United States and Israel could resume, declaring that it is fully prepared for any renewed confrontation as tensions between the sides continue to deepen.

In a statement reported by Iranian state-affiliated media, senior military officials said a return to hostilities is “likely”, citing what they described as Washington’s lack of commitment to previous agreements and negotiations.

The warning comes after US President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s latest peace proposal, saying the terms presented by Tehran included demands he “can’t agree to”.

According to officials in Tehran, Iran believes it showed flexibility during earlier negotiations, including talks held in Islamabad and during the ceasefire period. However, authorities argue that the United States has instead taken a tougher stance, widening the gap between both sides.

Iranian officials insist that key issues such as sanctions relief and the status of the Strait of Hormuz must be resolved before any broader agreement, including discussions around its nuclear programme, can progress. They also reject what they describe as US demands amounting to “surrender”.

The growing diplomatic deadlock has raised fears that another round of fighting may be imminent, with Iranian authorities indicating that preparations are already underway.

Meanwhile, the prolonged conflict continues to have far-reaching consequences within Iran. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reports that the country has entered its 64th day of near-total internet disruption, effectively isolating it from global online networks.

The shutdown, which began after renewed anti-government protests earlier in the year and intensified following the outbreak of the war, has significantly disrupted businesses and livelihoods across the country.

Beyond Iran, the conflict is also reshaping global dynamics. Rising oil prices linked to the war have placed pressure on international markets, while geopolitical tensions have strained alliances, including between the United States and European partners.

As both sides remain far apart on key issues, analysts warn that without a breakthrough in negotiations, the fragile pause in fighting could collapse, paving the way for renewed military escalation in the region.