A WOMAN has been convicted of killing her mother following work by our specialist detectives.Eighty-nine year-old Winifred Grover was found unresponsive on 21 June last year at the home in Lenmore Avenue, Grays that she shared with her daughter, Cheryl Banks, and Banks’ family.
Winifred had on-set dementia and Alzheimers and Banks had been her primary carer.
Winifred had lived with Banks and her family for last three years.Sadly, she was pronounced dead at the scene.Prior to officers arriving at the address, Banks, 60, had disclosed to members of her family that she had killed Winifred.
A forensic post-mortem identified the most likely cause of death was that Winfred had been smothered.In a prepared statement to officers, Banks stated that she had experienced mental health problems for some time and that she lover her mother very much.She was later charged with Winifred’s murder.
Following a trial at Basildon Crown Court she was today (Tuesday 1 March) found not guilty of murder.
However, she had already submitted a plea of guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility so has been convicted of that offence.
She is due to be sentenced on 1 April.
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Kevin Hughes, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “This is a truly tragic case and one that has really saddened me and my team.“Winifred Grover was an elderly woman in need of constant care.“
It is clear to me that Cheryl Banks was struggling with her own mental health and with the demands of being her mother’s full-time carer.“
“Sadly, this led to her taking matters into her own hands.I know there may well be empathy for the position Banks found herself in, but there can be no justification for taking the life of someone else.”
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