A mother has been sentenced to life in prison after taking the lives of her two young sons in the bath in east London, a case that police have characterized as “extremely tragic.”

Kara Alexander, 47, from Dagenham, was found guilty of the deaths of Elijah Thomas, aged two, and Marley Thomas, aged five, in their home on Cornwallis Road in December 2022.

During a hearing at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, Mr. Justice Bennathan imposed a life sentence on Alexander, with a minimum term of 21 years and 252 days.

Detective Paul Waller from the Metropolitan Police expressed his condolences to the family and friends of the boys, stating, “No period of time can alleviate the sorrow of such an immense loss, but I hope this sentence provides a measure of justice.”

Post-mortem examinations revealed that the children had drowned.

The jury had previously been informed that the boys’ father was meant to care for them that upcoming weekend and grew worried when he did not hear from Alexander.

Upon visiting the home, he was told by her that the children were asleep upstairs.

However, when he went to check, he discovered their lifeless bodies in the lower bunk of their shared bed, still in their pajamas, having passed away several hours prior.

Det Ch Insp Waller remarked, “This is an incredibly tragic case, leaving a father devastated by the loss of his two cherished sons and a family mourning two young brothers.

“Kara Alexander will spend the next two decades imprisoned, confronted by the memory of her actions for the rest of her life.

“I hope that you can eventually find a way to move forward, holding onto the memories of the boys as they were and cherishing the joyful moments you experienced with them.”