A YOUNG mum who "sacrificed her son to Jesus Christ" by throwing him 50ft from a sixth floor flat has today been given an indefinite hospital order.
Gemma Procter, 23, was convinced that voices from God in her head told her to drop the 18-month-old Elliot.
The naked baby plummeted to his death from the Newcastle House tower block in
Barkerend onto the cobbles below.
Witnesses desperately battled to save his life but he died on the pavement in October last year.
Bradford Crown Court heard how the mum-of-two was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
Procter was charged with murder but in April admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Psychiatric assessments found she had been suffering from the acute mental disorder.
Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said Procter was "not a bad mum" but it was a "tragic" case.
Police were called at around 5pm on Saturday October 21, 2017.
Kama Melly QC, prosecuting, told the court: "Reports indicate in the weeks prior the defendant was displaying psychotic symptoms.
"She was speaking of religious experiences."
On the day of the incident Procter was in a bedroom with two young children which had a large window which could be fully opened.
Ms Melly added: "While her mother was on the phone Gemma Procter went into the bedroom. In that bedroom there is a large window that can be opened."
Procter's mother frantically called the police, who arrived with paramedics who pronounced the baby dead at the scene.
Procter told one of the officers at the scene she had "sacrificed her son to Jesus Christ", the court was told.
"There is no issue that Elliot died from catastrophic injuries after being thrown from the window of his home," Ms Melly told the court.
"The defendant stated God had told her to sacrifice Elliot."
Procter, dressed in a black shirt emblazoned with flowers, cried as details of the tragedy were read to the court.
An emotional statement was read by the prosecutor on behalf of Procter's mother, which described how Elliot's death "had a huge impact" on the whole family.
Simon Kealey QC, mitigating, told the court she had no related previous convictions and was suffering from a mental episode before the incident.
The court heard how Procter had been treated for depression following Elliot's birth but was unaware of the severity of her illness.
Her condition was said to have deteriorated after she took the decision to terminate a subsequent pregnancy.
Members of Procter's friends and family waved at her as she left the dock and was led away.
Sentencing, Judge Durham Hall described it as a "tragic" case, and told her: "You are not a bad mum. You were not a bad mother to Elliot."
He said: "The sad fact is that clearly Elliot was playing happily and we know what happened.
"I am satisfied nobody had any warning that you could have done what you did.
"You said to the police officer at the scene you had sacrificed your son to Jesus Christ. At the end of the day, a judgement must be made. This is a terrible tragedy.
"I cannot impose any sentence that will be match the long-lasting judgement you will have upon yourself.
"You will understand that when parents do what sadly and tragically you have done, the public whom I serve, whose interests I must protect, demand explanation."
