Toronto woman Vanessa Collias was sentenced to life in prison after she pleaded guilty to killing her two sons in 2023 shortly after her husband died.
Collias, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder during a virtual appearance at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Monday, November 17, according to The Toronto Star, CBC News and Global News.
Following her plea, she was sentenced to life in prison without a chance of parole for 18 years.
During her appearance, Collias issued an emotional statement about her decision to kill her 4-year-old son Dimitri Collias and 5-year-old son Yiannis Collias. “I want to start off by apologizing to everyone my actions hurt and to the people I have let down,” she said, per Global News.
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“A part of me wonders why I never said I needed help. I stand in front of you a broken person. I wonder if I’m damaged beyond repair because I feel life has shattered my hopes and dreams,” she added. “To my babies, I love you more than anything. Thank you for showing me what true love is.”
The Toronto Police Service confirmed that Collias killed her sons on December 10, 2023. Authorities said Collias fell from her balcony and was found injured on the ground outside of her apartment building. Police then entered her home, where they found the children with “no vital signs.” The kids were taken to the hospital, where they were “both pronounced deceased.”
Collias was initially charged with two counts of first-degree murder, though the charge was downgraded after forensic psychiatrist Dr. Sumeeta Chatterjee determined she was suffering from “an adjustment disorder.” According to CBC, Collias’ 72-year-old husband Costa Collias died of leukemia just days earlier on December 1, 2023.
While in court, Chatterjee said Collias was “broken” and “absolutely alone” after her husband died. She went on to note that “the only thing she wanted was for the family to be reunited.”
While a motive was found in the killings, Collias was still held criminally responsible for her sons’ deaths.
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It was also revealed in court that Collias attempted to die by suicide and was left paraplegic after the fall, per CBC. It was reported that she left notes for police, set out funeral clothing for her sons next to a picture of their deceased father and placed a cross beside their bodies.
Additionally, Collias explained in court that she had been a “round-the-clock caregiver” to her husband before his death. She said she was “exhausted, running on fumes, trying to be OK.” By the time of December 10, she said she “hit a wall and couldn’t push no more,” according to the Global News.
