Mum's confessions to murdering son 'matched truth'
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A mother repeatedly confessed to murdering her eight-year-old son in words that mirrored her actions, prosecutors have said.
Rhys Cameron was fatally poisoned by his mother's drug addiction medication at his home in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, in September last year, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Louise Cameron, 41, has been charged with murder but is unfit to stand trial, with jurors set to determine if she carried out the acts she is accused of.
In closing speeches to jurors, prosecutors said her confessions matched the physical evidence with "laser-like precision", while Cameron's lawyers said the jury had to be sure she gave her son the fatal drugs.
The court has heard Rhys was born prematurely and had mobility issues and learning difficulties, while Cameron was a single mother in contact with social services.
Rhys was found dead in his mother's bed by concerned relatives on 15 September, having been last seen alive in public two days earlier, jurors have heard.
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In his closing speech, prosecutor David Lamb KC said Cameron had both the "means" and "opportunity" to kill her son, telling jurors they could "be sure" she was responsible for Rhys' death.
"Something happened to that little lad in that house," Lamb said, adding the child had been "alone" with his mother.
He said she made multiple confessions, including in a note to her family in which she said she had poisoned Rhys with her medication and she was "not dying without" him.
She also made numerous comments to police officers, including she wanted to "die together" with her son and had not wanted to stab or drown him, the court heard.
Lamb said her confessions matched the "forensic and pathological evidence with laser-like precision".
"Her words mirrored her actions," he said.
The prosecutor said Rhys "lost his life at the hands of his own mother" and the evidence was clear, comprehensive and compelling.
Mother 'very dazed'
In his closing speech, John Elvidge KC, who had been appointed to represent Cameron, said the prosecution had to prove Cameron gave her son the drugs, with the standard of proof a "high one".
Earlier, jurors heard relatives found Rhys "stone cold" in his mother's bed at about 10:00 BST on 15 September.
Cameron appeared "out of it" and was lying beside him stroking his face, the court heard.
A police officer who attended the scene said Cameron was "very dazed and not able to answer any questions", with her behaviour raising concerns she had taken a drug overdose, the court heard.
A pathologist concluded Rhys died due to the combined effects of drug addiction medication prescribed to his mother and powerful painkillers, which prosecutors said had been put into a blackcurrant juice for him to drink.
The trial continues.
