The sentence was handed down this afternoon by Justice Navindra Singh in the High Court to the 25-year-old woman. Hofosawa Awena Rutherford of Supply Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara was found guilty by a 12-member mixed jury. Rutherford was charged with two counts of manslaughter dating back to 2014 where it is alleged that she unlawfully killed her 16-month-old son, Jabarie Cadogan and her four-year-old daughter, Juliana Cadogan. She reportedly instructed the children to ingest rat poison.
The state’s case was successfully argued by prosecutors Tiffini Lyken, Abigail Gibbs and Shawnette Austin that Rutherford deliberately administered the poisonous substance to her children.