Woman who stabbed disabled daughter detained indefinitely

A woman who stabbed her severely disabled daughter multiple times has been detained indefinitely in hospital.

Carla Lovejoy, 54, attacked 28-year-old Isabella Lovejoy with a knife at the home they shared in Broadstairs, Kent, on 20 March 2025.

The victim was stabbed in the abdomen and chest and suffered "catastrophic injuries", the Old Bailey was told on Thursday.

Her mother was found drenched in blood and holding a knife, saying: "I've done a terrible thing. I had no choice."

Diagnosed with Rett syndrome – a rare genetic disorder impacting brain development – Isabella had to undergo lifesaving treatment following the incident, spending three months in hospital before being taken into care.

Had it not been for the prompt intervention, she would have died, the court was told.

Lovejoy had been her sole carer.

But she had declined to engage with mental health services as her own condition deteriorated out of fear that her daughter would be taken from her, the court heard.

The court was also told that Lovejoy had suffered severe depression and psychotic symptoms, including thoughts about human sacrifice and a belief she was in a fairytale or the player in a video game.

Following a trial in December, Lovejoy was found guilty of attempted murder on the basis she knew that her actions were wrong despite being mentally unwell.

Justice Cheema-Grubb sentenced her to indefinite detention in hospital for treatment for "the protection of the public from serious harm".

In a victim impact statement read in court, Lovejoy's other daughter, Christina Roberts, said her mother's actions had "torn our family apart".

It was impossible to describe the impact of the attack on her sister because she was non-verbal, she said.

Roberts added that she struggled to understand what had happened because her mother had been Isabella's "world" and they had enjoyed an "amazing relationship".

She described both her "relief and guilt" at her sister being placed into care, adding that her sibling was now "thriving" and experiencing "a good quality of life".

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