Claire Buttona 35-year-old woman, was convicted of murdering her son Lincoln Buttonfive years old. Button suffocated the boy, who had been diagnosed with autism, with a pillow in the family home located in South Ockendona town in the county of Essexin England.
Although Button had admitted the charge of manslaughterdenied murder. Held before the TBasildon Crown Court that he had heard voices that told him that both «did not belong to this world,» according to the British media Daily Mail.
During the hearing, which took place on October 16, the prosecutor Andrew Jackson described the incident as a «deliberate and illegal act, clearly done with intent to kill to Lincoln.» He argued that the «challenges of caring for an autistic child had caused the defendant to become depressed and choose to murder her son.»
Claire Button, a 35-year-old woman, was convicted of the murder of her five-year-old son Lincoln Button. Illustrative photo: Pexels.The jury heard testimony from Button, who stated that a voice told him to kill himselfbut that he also «had to take my son’s life.»
She described said voice as dark, deep, scary, demanding, that wouldn’t leave her alone unless she did. Button said he tried to resistby telling the voice: No, I love him too much to do this, before being asked to grab a pillow.
The dark case of Claire Button: voices, depression and a crime in Essex
He December 15Button called emergency services at 11:25 a.m. to request an ambulance. He reported that he was about to overdose. He was told that the ambulance could take up to ten hours. Button testified that the wait time made her believe they didn’t want to help her, and the voice told her she «had to move on.»
When Lincoln’s husband and father, Nicky Buttonarrived home from work shortly before three in the afternoon that day, made the tragic discovery. Paramedics responded to the scene, but Lincoln was pronounced dead at 3:55. Button, who had suffered injuries and told doctors she had overdosed, was taken to hospital and later arrested on suspicion of murder.
The notes left by Button were shown to the jury. Next to Lincoln’s body, there was a note that said «DNR – do not resuscitate». Another note found on the property stated: «He (Lincoln) doesn’t fit in the world and where he doesn’t fit in, neither do I.»
A heartbreaking crime: the internal struggle of a mother with depression
Lincoln, who I loved going to his school and was so attached to his mother that he was like her «shadow», he had shown defiant behavior in the weeks before her death, becoming «obsessed» with his scooter and balance bike. Her husband described how his wife was «dragged outside 15 times a day» and if she didn’t, the child would throw «tantrums.»
Button was diagnosed with depression during the 2024 summer school holidays and received medication. Although his condition improved, it deteriorated again. His condition worsened again before the Christmas holidays.
Paramedics responded to the scene, but Lincoln was pronounced dead at 3:55 pm on December 15. Photo: Essex Police.Button’s husband -Nicky- defended his wifesaying that she «must have been going through hell» and that no one knew how much she was suffering. He maintained that «this is not Claire’s character» and that she was «fighting demons.»
The psychiatrist doctor Frank Farnham testified that a defense of diminished responsibility was plausible. It was also noted that Button had been offered a non-medical intervention called «social prescribing» for her depression, but never received it properly.
The jury issued its unanimous verdict guilty of murder, after deliberating for just over eight hours. Button burst into tears upon hearing the ruling.
The judge Samantha Leigh He set sentencing for the next day, noting that this was one of the most difficult cases he had handled in 30 years.
