New London mom 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 inpatient 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.

Neighbors told police that they had arrived home at about 4:30 a.m. and later heard a child screaming and crying, along with noises that sounded like things being thrown around, the warrant said.

While in custody at the police station, Farrauto said she had killed her son “to get back at her mother” because she “believes her mother is responsible for her failures,” the warrant said. Investigators wrote in the warrant that Farrauto went on to calmly speak about the Bible and mentioned the scripture of John.

Farrauto was charged hours later with murder and risk of injury to a child. She was held on $2 million bond after her arraignment in the days following her arrest. A judge ordered a competency hearing to determine if she was able to participate in her own defense.

A New London bail commissioner and her public defender, Aimee Mahon, told the court at the time that Farrauto was suffering from “very serious mental health issues.” Mahon requested the competency evaluation which later revealed that Farrauto was suffering from “residual psychiatric symptoms,” according to Holmes.

Farrauto showed “high levels of emotionality, which interfered with her concentration and her ability to learn and retain new information, particularly of a more sophisticated level,” Holmes said.

The team, which included a DMHAS psychiatrist and psychologist, unanimously agreed that Farrauto was incompetent to stand trial or assist in her own defense. But her competency could possibly be restored with 60 days of in-patient treatment.

If competency is not restored within 60 days, state law says the process will continue with treatment and hearings until she is deemed competent to stand trial and participate in her own defense.