Mansfield mother accused of toddler murder sent text stating: '‘I’m at the point I'd rather end my life’ night before daughter's death

Nottingham Crown Court was told that throughout the evening of March 5 this year, Katie Crowder had sent dozens of texts to her new girlfriend saying that she planned to take an overdose.

During proceedings on Monday, November 30, the jury heard that a row had erupted between the 26-year-old and her family on social media about her drugs use.

The other woman also sent dozens of texts back to Crowder, of Wharmby Avenue, Mansfield, offering to pick her up and take her back to her house, and even offered to adopt the defendant’s daughter Gracie.

In the exchanges, which began at around 6.50pm and ended just before 9pm, the other woman also encouraged Crowder to distance herself from her family because of the way they were treating her.

And in one of the final messages, Crowder said that she was just putting Gracie to bed.

One message sent by Crowder read: “I’m at the point I’d rather end my life than deal with it anymore.”

Another stated: “Had this s*** nearly daily for a year. I’m done.”

And in another, Crowder messaged: “I’m going to give them something to talk about. I’ll take an overdose.”

Later in the exchange, she states: “I’ve taken three life-threatening overdoses and woke up from the f******.”

And later still, she added: “Now I’m back on drugs, I may as well overdose from the fucker. Gracie is better off without me.”

Earlier, the court heard from toxicologist David Berry, who said that in the time leading up to Crowder leading up to raising the alarm, she had the equivalent of “three large lines of cocaine” in her system, based on a blood test taken following her arrest.

The case for the prosecution has now finished, and Crowder’s defence is set to begin tomorrow.

It is alleged that Crowder scalded Gracie to death in the early hours on March 6 this year, then waited before raising the alarm.

Crowder denies murder.

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