– British Woman Sentenced for Killing Disabled Daughter Out of Shame
A mother who murdered her four-year-old daughter because she was "ashamed" of her disability has been jailed for at least 15 years.
Joanne Hill, 32, drowned Naomi, who had mild cerebral palsy. Hill admitted to killing Naomi on Nov. 26 last year at the family home.
During a two-week trial at Chester Crown Court a jury heard that hard-drinking Hill was ashamed of Naomi's condition, which meant the little girl had to use calipers to help her walk.
A tape recording of her police interview was played to the court, in which Hill recounted in detail how she drowned her daughter in the family bath.
She then took Naomi's body, dressed her body and put her in the family car.
Hill, who had been drinking wine all afternoon, then drove around between Deeside and Chester for eight hours, stopping to refuel on wine and gasoline as her dead daughter remained in the back seat.
Judge Elgan Edwards sentenced Hill to life in prison - to serve a minimum term of 15 years.
"You killed your own daughter because you could not cope with her disability," he said.
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