Illinois woman sentenced to natural life in child murders

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) - A suburban Chicago woman has been sentenced to natural life in prison without the possibility of parole in the 2012 fatal stabbings of her 7-year-old son and a 5-year-old girl she was caring for.

A judge sentenced Elzbieta Plackowska (elz-BEE'-tah plah-KOW'-skuh) Friday. She was convicted in September of the killings and for fatally stabbing two dogs.

During trial, defense attorneys argued Plackowska was suffering from a psychotic episode when she killed the children on Oct. 30, 2012, inside the girl's home in Naperville. They say she wouldn't have killed the children if she was aware of what she was doing.

But prosecutors say her comments to investigators following her arrest indicated otherwise.

The 45-year-old woman has remained in custody at the DuPage County Jail since the killings.