London mother sentenced to life in prison for drowning two sons

London mother sentenced to life in prison for drowning her two sons

A 47-year-old woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of her two young sons in their East London home.

Kara Alexander, from Cornwallis Road in Dagenham, was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 24 years at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 11 April.

She was found guilty of drowning her two sons, two-year-old Elijah Thomas and five-year-old Marley Thomas, in December 2022.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Waller of the Metropolitan Police, who led the investigation, expressed the heartbreaking nature of the case.

“This is an incredibly tragic case, which has left a father without his two beloved boys and a family without two young brothers. Kara Alexander will spend the next two decades behind bars, where the memory of what she has done will haunt her forever,” Waller said.

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He continued, offering some comfort to the grieving family: “To the family and friends of Elijah and Marley, while no amount of time will erase the pain of such a loss, I hope this sentence serves to bring some semblance of justice. I hope you can now move on with your life, remembering the boys as you knew them, and treasuring the happy times you spent with them.”

Emergency services were called to the family’s home at around 14:00hrs on 16 December 2022 after the children were found lifeless by their father, who discovered them in their shared bunk bed. Both children were declared dead at the scene.

Following the grim discovery, Kara Alexander fled the house but was apprehended nearby shortly thereafter. Post-mortem examinations confirmed that both boys died from drowning.

A thorough investigation, which included reviewing local CCTV footage, doorbell camera footage, and forensic analysis of Alexander’s phone, led to her arrest.

She was charged with two counts of murder on 19 December 2022 and convicted after a three-week trial at Kingston Crown Court, which concluded on 21 February 2025.

London mother sentenced to life in prison for drowning her two sons