Pennsylvania Mom Who Strangled Son and Drove Her SUV Into Ocean Convicted of Murder

mom pennsylvania crime murder

By Jackelyn Cornejo , Parent Herald Feb 16, 06:43 am

Photo: (Photo : OLEH SAMOILENKO/AFP via Getty Images)

In Horsham, Pennsylvania, Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead, aged 51, was convicted of murdering her 11-year-old son last year.

Following a bench trial, she is set to receive a obligatory life sentence during her sentencing on Friday.

Pennsylvania Mom Guilty of Son's Murder

DiRienzo-Whitehead's legal team argued that on April 10, she strangled her son, Matthew Whitehead, with a belt during a psychotic break prompted by financial concerns and family issues, with the belief that she was sparing him from a painful life.

A defense expert testified that DiRienzo-Whitehead was experiencing depression and mental illness at the time.

Prosecutors from Montgomery County contended that the killing was premeditated, pointing to numerous online searches of DiRienzo-Whitehead about strangulation methods and research on mental illnesses that lead women to harm their own children.

They also asserted that DiRienzo-Whitehead, attributing the family's financial problems to her husband, was driven by a combination of anger and revenge.

DiRienzo-Whitehead's Husband Testifies During Trial

In Norristown, DiRienzo-Whitehead's husband provided an emotional testament at his wife's trial, where she is accused of using a belt to strangle their 11-year-old son.

Daniel Whitehead, clearly hysterical, described discovering their child dead in the master bedroom of their home. Matthew, the couple's son, was found lifeless on April 11, 2023.

Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead faces charges of first- and third-degree crime and possession of an instrument of crime, with the trial ongoing in Montgomery County Court.

Daniel Whitehead, during his teary testament, referred to his wife as "the defendant" and recounted his son's joyful demeanor as a sixth-grade student at Germantown Academy.

He revealed that on the night of the incident, his wife slept in the masters bedroom with Matthew, while he slept in Matthew's room, a practice he considered normal.

The following morning, Daniel noticed the master bedroom door padlocked, and his wife's car was lost from the garage. Using a screwdriver, he forced open the door, discovered their dead son, and immediately called 911.

Horsham Police Officer Anna Kumor confirmed the child's death upon arrival, and a medical examiner, Victoria Sorokin, determined the cause of death as ligature strangulation.

Prosecutors argue that the killing was intentional, while the defense claims Ruth DiRienzo-Whitehead was seriously mentally ill at the time she committed the crime, citing stressors such as caring for her mother with dementia, financial pressures, and the recent sale of the family home in Wildwood Crest, N.J.

The preliminary is expected to involve conflicting psychiatric expert testimony regarding DiRienzo-Whitehead's mental state at the time.

The defense is ensuing an absurdity or mental infirmity defense, affirming that she may not have been aware of the violation of her actions.

Prosecutors presented a video documentation of DiRienzo-Whitehead's testimony where she professed to desperately strangling her son due to concerns about the family's financial crisis.

The defense contends that she was suffering from serious mental illness, while the prosecution aims for first-degree murder charges, which carry a possible life sentence, or third-degree murder with a maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years.