Mum killed toddler with Down’s syndrome by injecting hand sanitiser into his feeding tube

Erika Wigstrom is alleged to have made an earlier attempt to kill the child by feeding him perfume

Tragic: Lucas died after the sanitiser was injected into his feeding tube

A woman has pleaded guilty to killing her Down’s syndrome child by injecting hand sanitiser into his feeding tube.

Erika Wigstrom has been sentenced to 40 yeasr in jail after she pleaded guilty yesterday to killing her toddler Lucas Ruiz.

The tragic 17-month-old was born with Down’s syndrome and another condition that left him with holes in his heart.

His condition meant he needed surgery and a feeding tube, but Wigstrom used this to kill the tot by poisoning him on January 23.

A post mortem later showed the toddler’s blood-alcohol content was 0.28 per cent and when police called Wigstrom in for questioning after receiving the report, it was then the mother confessed.

Guilty: Mum Erika Wigstrom admitted killing her son

The 22-year-old claims she did it as an act of mercy and prosecutors allege she made a similar attempt to take her child’s life in October 2012.

While little Lucas was in hospital, it is alleged Wigstrom gave her son an alcohol-based perfume, injected through his feeding tube.

According to the Times-Picayune newspaper, Wigstrom, from Belle Chasse, Louisiana, had originally been charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

These were dropped after the mother pleaded guilty to manslaughter.