New London mother, charged with killing son, committed to state hospital
A judge committed a New London woman accused of fatally strangling her 4-year-son to the state’s psychiatric hospital Tuesday after a panel of experts ruled she is incapable of participating in her own defense.
Tiffany Farrauto, 33, who was charged with murder and risk of injury to a child, told police on March 7 she was “excited” that she had killed her son because she wanted to get back at her own mother who she blamed for her failures, a newly released arrest warrant said.
During her appearance Tuesday, a state social worker told Judge Hillary Strackbein that Farrauto displayed a disorganized thought process, and was at times confused and easily led during the evaluation which took place at York Correctional Institution on March 12.
“At this time she is unable to understand the proceedings against her,” said Joanne Holmes, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services social worker who was part of the team that conducted the competency review.
Minutes later, Strackbein committed Farrauto to Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown for a period of 60 days to receive in-patient treatment in the hope of restoring her competency to stand trial.
The court will reassess her competency on May 20, Strackbein said.
Farrauto, 33, of Nautilus Drive, calmly approached officers the morning of March 7 as they were looking for the woman who had allegedly damaged a car with a bat in the parking lot of her apartment complex, according to the warrant.
Farrauto, who was the suspect in the bat incident, admitted that she had marijuana in her apartment when asked if she was carrying any and then said, “you can take me away now” because her son “is already dead and is in the house,” the warrant said.
Farrauto told police she had strangled him and put CBD gummies in his mouth, the warrant said.
She then proclaimed “I did it! I (expletive) did it!” while seated in a marked cruiser and then made references to being able to do whatever “you want in heaven, it doesn’t matter how much you sinned,” according to the warrant.
She then said, “I just killed my son” and “I’m so excited about it too. I never thought I would do that,” the warrant said.
Meanwhile an officer had entered the unlocked door of her apartment and found the boy lifeless at the foot of a bed, the warrant said. “Gummy bear” candies where scattered on the child’s chest, the bedding and the floor, according to investigators.
The officer began CPR and called for help. The child was pronounced dead at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital shortly after he arrived. The child had marks on his neck and chest and abrasions across his chest, the warrant said.