Mother stabbed four-year-old son to death hours after school pick-up, court told
A mother killed her four-year-old son by stabbing him dozens of times hours after collecting the boy from school, a court has heard.
Officers found Kobi Dooly-Macharia cold to the touch in his cot with dozens of knife wounds, Inner London Crown Court heard on Monday.
There were also signs of attempted strangulation, the court heard.
Court artist drawing of Keziah Macharia, was charged with murder but has been deemed unfit to stand trial (Elizabeth Cook/PA)
Keziah Macharia, 43, has been charged with murdering Kobi on or about December 20 2023 but she has been deemed unfit to stand trial.
Mrs Justice Thornton said there should be a 'fact-finding hearing' to decide if Macharia killed Kobi but not if she murdered him.
She told jurors not to 'consider her state of mind and whether she is at fault', which would be needed for a murder verdict.
Ben Dooly and Macharia started a relationship after meeting in 2018 and their son Kobi was born on September 21 2019, prosecutor Mukul Chawla KC said.
The couple lived together with Kobi in Macharia's first-floor flat in Montague Road, Hackney, but the relationship deteriorated after his birth, he added.
Mr Dooly moved out and started sleeping on the sofa two or three days a week but this ended after he met his current girlfriend, Sasha Sasheva, the court heard.
Four-year-old Kobi Dooly-Macharia (Met Police/PA)
News in 90 seconds - 12th May 2025
Macharia was 'very unhappy' with Kobi spending any time with Ms Sasheva, Mr Chawla said, adding that Ms Sasheva blocked Macharia on her phone and on social media because of messages she received.
Mr Dooly last saw Kobi alive at his school nativity play the day before the alleged attack, jurors heard.
CCTV played to the court shows Macharia collecting her son from Nightingale Primary School, Hackney, by car at around 4.30pm on December 20.
Kobi could be seen leaving the building wearing a coat and carrying a red balloon, accompanied by Macharia.
'You see nothing of distress or anything out of the ordinary in terms of her demeanour', the prosecutor said.
He added: 'It appears that at some point that evening the defendant started drinking alcohol; when she started drinking and how much she drank cannot be established'.
The court heard that at 10.42pm Macharia sent a WhatsApp message to Mr Dooly that said: 'Hi Ben, good Luck with the biteme_cups five days before Xmas!
'I hope you and Sasha enjoy your lives together. I can't live knowing that she'll have the same surname as my son Kobi, and I will not be in your life anymore. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Goodbye x'
Bite Me cups was Mr Dooly's recently established business, the prosecutor added.
Macharia then messaged Ms Sasheva's phone and said 'this is all your fault' and 'you will never have the same surname as my son', the court heard.
At 10.48pm, Macharia sent Mr Dooly WhatsApp messages less than a minute apart that said 'Kobi is dead' and 'you can thank Sasha for that', the prosecution said.
The pair contacted the police with Mr Dooly reporting he had just been told by the mother of his child that his son is dead, jurors were told.
Body-worn footage showed officers repeatedly banging on the door, ringing the bell, and shouting without receiving a response before they broke the door in.
Jurors were shown footage of Macharia in blood-stained clothes sitting on the living room floor in front of the sofa.
As officers arrived, she moved to a kneeling position and during her arrest, a knife could be seen behind her.
Police were heard asking 'who did this?' and Mr Chawla said 'she raises her hand to her chest, acknowledging it was her'.
Officers documented her saying she tried to take an overdose and harm herself, the prosecutor added.
Kobi was found in the bedroom, in his cot next to a double bed.
He was pronounced dead at 12.06am on December 21.
Macharia was taken to Stoke Newington Police station and had 'a very blunted muted affect' and intermittently sobbed, Mr Chawla said.
'She told officers repeatedly she just wanted her baby back, and she just wanted to see his sweet face', he added.
The case continues.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Countdown's Rachel Riley felt threatened by stalker who accused her of being ‘ringleader of a cult of celebrities'
In another bizarre post, Felicity Lowde accused Rachel of having a 'sexual obsession with toilets' RACHEL'S ORDEAL Countdown's Rachel Riley felt threatened by stalker who accused her of being 'ringleader of a cult of celebrities' COUNTDOWN star Rachel Riley felt threatened by a convicted stalker who accused her of being the 'ringleader of a cult of celebrities', a court heard. She was mentioned more than 200 times in 855 blog posts published by Felicity Lowde. Advertisement 2 Rachel Riley's stalker felt threatened by a convicted stalker who accused her of being the 'ringleader of a cult' Credit: BackGrid 2 Felicity Lowde was banned from contacting Rachel for life Credit: Peter Jordan During the campaign of harassment, Rachel was accused by Lowde, 59, of heading an 'international conspiracy' involving JK Rowling, Stephen Fry and Katie Hopkins. She claimed they communicated via a secret code on social media. In another bizarre post, Lowde accused Rachel of having a 'sexual obsession with toilets'. She also referred to the Israel-Gaza conflict and said 39-year-old Rachel, who is Jewish, was 'complicit in genocide', City of London magistrates heard. Advertisement The comments came to light when Lowde tried to sue Rachel last year. She accused the TV presenter, whom she had never met, of 'trying to defraud her creative work and family history' and trying to 'hijack her identity'. Lowde is said to have lodged at least 64 legal cases in the past year. TV presenter Piers Morgan compared her to Netflix's Baby Reindeer stalker after she made wild claims against him. Rachel reported Lowde, who has four convictions for stalking and harassment, and she was arrested. Advertisement The Met Police applied for a stalking protection order on Rachel's behalf. Magistrates chair Dr Ian Cole told Lowde: 'Ms Riley said she fears for her safety.' Rachel Riley pleads for safe return of one-year-old Israeli hostage Kfir Bibas Lowde, of Chelsea, West London, was banned from contacting Rachel for life and from referring to her on social media. She could go to jail if she breaches the order.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
My daughter was knifed to death at kids' party in front of son with knife that cut cake…but killer made crucial error
Charlotte Lawlor's killer and her boyfriend left a chilling voicemail while fleeing the scene PARTY HORROR My daughter was knifed to death at kids' party in front of son with knife that cut cake…but killer made crucial error AS CHARLOTTE Lawlor sang happy birthday at her nephew's party, no one could have imagined that just moments later the young mum would be stabbed to death. What makes her death all the more cruel is that the knife used to cut the cake at the 15th birthday celebration was the weapon used by Charlotte's killer to take her life just moments later. 8 Charlotte Lawlor was murdered at a kids' birthday party in front of her son Credit: MET Police 8 Hope Rowe used the same knife used to cut the birthday cake to fatally stab Charlotte Credit: HotSpot Media 8 Her boyfriend, Leigh Holder, convinced Rowe to dispose of the weapon Credit: HotSpot Media Following a mysterious row with fellow partygoer Hope Rowe, Charlotte, 31, was ambushed outside the party and stabbed to death in front of her horrified 11-year-old son. The mum-of-one suffered a fatal blow and died almost instantly on September 15 2024, despite efforts by the paramedics to save her life. After the brutal attack, Rowe fled the scene in her car with boyfriend Leigh Holder, 37, who convinced her to dispose of the blade, which was never found, and to avoid capture. But the pair made a crucial error while fleeing the scene, with Holder accidentally leaving a voicemail on Rowe's phone as he sat next to her. In the recorded voicemail, Holder told Rowe: "You absolute idiot. You killed her, you f**king idiot." Rowe chillingly replied: "Good." Last month, Rowe was found guilty of murder and handed a life sentence of 23 years, while Holder was convicted of perverting the course of justice and jailed for 16 months. Now, Charlotte's mother, Tammy John, 50, has spoken for the first time since her heart-shattering loss. Tammy, from Kent, says: 'It doesn't seem real that Charlotte is dead. 'Our lives are completely changed, and losing my child, there's no words, the pain is horrendous. Evil killer who beheaded girlfriend Phoenix Spencer Horn & tried to dismember her body at Scots flat jailed for 23 years 'No one should lose their child through violence. I shouldn't have buried my child. "Charlotte's son has been left without a mum, and siblings without their older sister and best friend. 'She brought light to everyone's life, and we miss her every day.' Party horror Tammy describes Charlotte, her firstborn, as her best friend and says that they didn't go a day without speaking. The pair's bond grew stronger when Charlotte became a mum at 19. Tammy says: 'Like me, she was also a teen mum. 'I had Charlotte at 17, so I was happy to help her navigate single motherhood. 'Charlotte was such a natural mum and doted on her son.' Over the years, Charlotte moved to different temporary accommodations, sometimes finding herself in unsafe areas prone to crime. 8 Charlotte was ambushed by Rowe after a previous argument earlier that evening Credit: HotSpot Media 8 At her funeral Tammy chose a red theme to honour her daughter's favourite colour Credit: HotSpot Media 8 Charlotte's mother Tammy, pictured together, was left devastated by her loss Credit: HotSpot Media Eventually, when her son turned 10, they were placed in a new build in a nice area of London, and Tammy says her life began to look brighter after her previous struggles. Tammy recalls: 'She was so happy for a fresh start in a nice, safe home for her and her son. 'I helped her decorate the place. I could see her zest for life return.' Every year, Charlotte attended her son's cousin's birthday party. Despite her son not being in touch with his dad, she still made an effort to see his extended family. On September 15 last year, she was at the 15-year-old's party at his home in Stepney Green, East London, when what should have been a day of celebration turned into a day of horror. Charlotte was stabbed in front of her son, other children and party guests after an argument with Rowe earlier that evening. It's unclear what sparked the row, with Rowe refusing to comment when interviewed following her arrest, and later claiming in court that her actions were down to a momentary loss of control. 'Didn't seem real' Early the next morning, Tammy received a call from her other daughter, Rebecca, 26. She delivered the devastating news that Charlotte was dead. Tammy says: 'When Rebecca called and asked if I was sitting down, I knew it wasn't good news. 'When she told me Charlotte was gone, I told her she wasn't making sense. I didn't know what she meant by 'gone'. 'Then, when she said she was dead, I lost it and screamed down the phone in disbelief.' It didn't seem real. I shouldn't have been saying goodbye to my child Tammy Lawlor Tammy rushed to the police station, where she found her grandson in shock. Officers informed Tammy that Charlotte had been stabbed to death at the children's party. What's more, her traumatised son had witnessed it. She was told they had two people in custody. Tammy says: 'At that point, I had no idea they were revellers at the party too. I thought it was a random attack.' Back at hers, Charlotte's son kept asking if Tammy was OK. She says: 'I told him it was OK to cry, but he said he was fine. 'I knew he wasn't, but he was being so strong for everyone. I knew what he must've seen was horrific. 'I was beside myself with grief, but tried to hold it in for his sake.' The next day, Tammy was told that a woman had been arrested alongside her partner, but they'd denied the charges. Tammy says: 'I was horrified it'd happened at a party and was desperate for answers.' Where to seek grief support Need professional help with grief? Child Bereavement UK Cruse Bereavement Relate The Good Grief Trust You can also always speak to your GP if you're struggling. You're Not Alone Check out these books, podcasts and apps that all expertly navigate grief… Griefcast: Cariad Lloyd interviews comedians on this award-winning podcast. The Madness Of Grief by Rev Richard Coles (£9.99, W&N): The Strictly fave writes movingly on losing his husband David to alcoholism. Terrible, Thanks For Asking: Podcast host Nora McInerny encourages non-celebs to share how they're really feeling. Good Mourning by Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn (£14.99, Murdoch Books): A guide for people who've suffered sudden loss, like the authors who both lost their mums. Grief Works: Download this for daily meditations and expert tips. How To Grieve Like A Champ by Lianna Champ (£3.99, Red Door Press): A book for improving your relationship with death. On October 25th, the family held Charlotte's funeral. Over 200 mourners attended, and her body was taken to the crematorium by a horse-drawn carriage. Tammy remembers: 'Charlotte's favourite colour was red, so we had red flowers and released 31 red balloons with personal messages from us all inside. 'It didn't seem real. I shouldn't have been saying goodbye to my child. We were all heartbroken.' 'She's a monster' Months on, in June this year, Tammy had to look into the eyes of her daughter's killer at the trial. Hearing the grisly details of her death left Tammy reeling. Inner London Crown Court heard, Charlotte and Rowe, 33, had gotten into an argument at the party. I'll never hear Charlotte say 'Mum' and she'll never see her son grow up, get married, or have children of his own Tammy Lawlor When Charlotte went to leave with her son, Rowe lay in wait at the bottom of the stairs, armed with the birthday cake knife, before stabbing helpless Charlotte. Tammy says: 'Listening to the evidence made me sick to my stomach. 'Especially that Hope had reacted to my daughter's death the way she did. She's a monster. 'During the seven-week trial, I could hear Hope and Leigh both laughing and joking. 'Like my daughter's life was a big joke, I hated them.' 8 Tammy says she still can't comprehend that her daughter is no longer here Credit: HotSpot Media 8 Tammy, seen with Charlotte when she was younger, says she thinks Rowe's 23-year sentence is a 'joke' Credit: HotSpot Media In 15 minutes, the jury found Rowe guilty of murder and possessing a blade in a public place, and she was handed a life sentence with a minimum of 23 years. Tammy says: 'Her sentence is a joke, there's no justice for my girl. "I'll never hear Charlotte say 'Mum' and she'll never see her son grow up, get married, or have children of his own. 'That was all snatched from her. 'She had her whole life ahead of her, and Hope stole it in a moment of senseless violence. 'We're now the ones with the life sentence.' Tammy is planning to start a charity in Charlotte's name, using music therapy to help kids who've experienced trauma. The family are asking for donations to help pay Charlotte's outstanding bills. Please visit their GoFundMe here to donate.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Chilling moment burglars take £500k of gold jewellery from home in sacks despite owners being inside during brazen raid
THIS is the hair-raising moment burglars steal a £500,000 jewellery hoard while the owners remain unaware inside. The brazen thieves targeted a Bromley home, in London, at around 5.40pm on December 30 last year. 8 The thieves threw down large sacks filled with gold jewellery to an accomplice below Credit: MET POLICE 8 CCTV captured the thugs walking across the roof Credit: MET POLICE 8 The owners were inside the property throughout the raid Credit: MET POLICE CCTV revealed the trio broke into the property, on Bickley Road, through a bathroom window. Within 45 minutes the thugs had stolen a £500k haul and made off with their bounty in large bags. More footage showed the yobs walking across the roof, carrying the sacks, and throwing them to someone waiting below. The owners, who were inside the property throughout the raid, were unaware they'd been hit by criminals. The Metropolitan Police have released pictures of the stolen items and urged anyone who recognises them to come forward. Detective Constable Jamie White, of the Met's South Area Command Unit, said: 'While the monetary value of this theft is enormous, the sentimental value is priceless – with many of the pieces being passed down through generations of the family. 'Helpfully, a number of the pieces stolen are unique, so we are hoping that releasing these photographs will jog someone's memory. If you have seen these items anywhere – or know of anyone handling the goods – please do get in touch with the Met via 101, quoting 01/1257889/24. "If you have information and wish to stay anonymous, you can speak to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. "No arrests have been made at this stage." This comes after thieves stole a couple's prized £30k Ford Mustang in just 90 seconds using sophisticated 'relay system' kit. Moment brazen thief caught stuffing golden OCTOPUS down her trousers in antiques store leaving owners baffled Video footage shows the gang approach the car around 2am and use a handheld device to open the driver's door. Another member wearing a face mask then holds up a loop of wire near the house which boosts the signal of the keyless fob inside and tricks the car into thinking the driver is at the controls. Elsewhere, thugs were caught on camera nicking a hot tub from a family's garden on the eve of the hottest day of the year. CCTV filmed the two raiders draining water from the six-man Lay-Z-Spa at 2.45am. 8 A golden tiara encrusted with a ruby jewel was taken in the raid Credit: Metropolitan Police 8 Large jewellery sets were robbed from the family Credit: Metropolitan Police 8 Cops have urged the public to keep an eye out for these items Credit: Metropolitan Police They left, only to return 30 minutes later to roll the empty tub off the patio and across the garden before pushing it over a 6ft fence. Meanwhile, cops are still on the hunt for one of the most prolific burglars in the UK - the Night Watcher. The prolific thief is wanted for a series of similar raids dating back to 2006 across Surrey, Sussex, Kent, London and Berkshire. Officers have previously speculated the Night Watcher, who works alone, may be a former soldier using his military training to carry out the raids and avoid detection. Detectives think he stakes out the homes for days and sometimes breaks in before the robbery to check out the layout and discover where safes are. The planning, ruthless efficiency and the fact he uses cable ties on his victims all point to a military background, police say. His victims include former tennis champion Boris Becker and French ex-footballer Nicolas Anelka. He has taken valuable jewellery - including a ring that once belonged to Charles II. Other wealthy targets have included the Duke and Duchess of Richmond, who were attacked in their stately home, Goodwood House, West Sussex, in 2016. A £10,000 Crimestoppers reward has been offered for information that leads to the conviction of the suspect in the Sevenoaks robbery. In March this year police released a recording of what is believed to be the Night Watcher's voice. It was captured when he tied up and beat an elderly pensioner in a £1.8million raid in June last year, it's alleged. Cops are still urgently hunting the violent thug who attacked a 63-year-old on her doorstep in Sevenoaks, Kent. The suspect struck the lone victim with a gun before tying her up like something out of a "horror movie". The fiend fled with 50 pieces of jewellery, including diamond-encrusted earrings, a sapphire pendant and watches. In the hair-raising audio, the violent raider can be heard saying: 'The key…to the garage. "Open it! Open the garage. Open the garage. Open it!' His voice becomes more stressed as he makes the demands before leading her into the house to access more safes. Linguistic experts have said the suspect's accent is of someone from the 'prosperous southern counties'. He then hit her with the gun, splitting her forehead open, before binding her hands and feet with electrical cables. The traumatised victim was found by her husband about an hour after the "mindless and violent" attack. 8 More goldware stolen from the Bromley home Credit: Metropolitan Police
