A 59-year-old British woman faced a life sentence for murder after dumping a concoction of boiling water and sugar onto her husband in his sleep. Her motive stemmed from claims made by her daughter, who said that she and her brother were sexually abused.

The Attack

On July 14, 2020, Corinna Smith attacked her 81-year-old husband, Michael Baines, in their Chesire, England, home. This followed an argument between the two and another family member that ensued the day before, leaving Smith angered and upset.

On the day of the attack, she filled up a bucket with boiling water and almost seven pounds of sugar. She continued to pour the contents over Baines’ stomach and arms, causing him to end up in the hospital for two weeks. Smith ran nine houses down the street to inform the neighbor of what she had done and showed clear signs of distress towards the police. After one month, Baines passed away.

“I’ve hurt him really bad, I think I’ve killed him.”

Corinna Smith said to her neighbor

It was later discovered that the day before Smith came up with her plan, her daughter revealed the sexual abuse she endured from Baines over the course of her childhood. She also disclosed that her brother Craig, who took his own life in 2007, was also abused.

Consequences and Reactions

Smith was originally only charged with grievous bodily harm, but the charge was upgraded to murder after her husband’s death. She sat in court on July 9, 2021, after a jury found her guilty during a five-day trial.

“Smith killed her husband Michael in such a painful and cruel way,” a detective stated. Prosecutors claimed that her actions were deliberate, and Smith was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 12 years.

Smith gained a large amount of support from social media users for the way she meticulously curated her attack by adding sugar. Others applauded her for standing up for her two children.

She was not eligible for bond or parole, and a petition with over 12,000 signatures has since been created, fighting for a lower sentence and potentially her release.