Naperville mother sentenced to natural life for murdering 2 children
Convicted murderer Elzbieta Plackowska knew she would be spending the rest of her life in an Illinois prison.
But DuPage County Judge Robert Miller made it official Friday, sentencing the Naperville mother to the mandatory sentence of natural life in prison for the 2012 murder of her young son and a little girl she was baby-sitting.
Miller added an additional two years for the brutal slayings of two dogs in the home.
Plackowska was convicted in late September of 10 counts of first-degree murder and two counts of animal cruelty.
"Natural life, even if not the required sentence, is the only sentence that can even remotely equate to what (Plackowska) did to those two children," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said after Friday's hearing. "I've seen a lot of violent things in my 30-plus years as a prosecutor, but I'd be hard-pressed to find another case equally as violent as this one."
Plackowska stabbed her 7-year-old son, Justin Plackowska, 173 times on the night of Oct. 30, 2012, and 5-year-old Olivia Dworakowski, whom she was baby-sitting, 94 times. The two small dogs were stabbed eight and 14 times each.
Plackowska's attorneys argued at trial that she suffered from a bipolar disorder and was in the midst of a psychotic episode at the time of the killings.
On Friday they sought a new trial, saying the court erred in rejecting Plackowska's insanity defense.
"We respect the court's ruling," Deputy Chief Public Defender George Ford said, "but we disagree with it."
When given a chance to speak, Plackowska sought forgiveness and said she hopes others learn not to let depression or mental illness go untreated.
"I wish with all my heart and mind that this did not happen and was all a bad dream," she said. "Every day I suffer and pray to God to get through another day as well. I know they feel the same. There are no words to describe how this has changed all of our lives."
Plackowska has been held without bail since her arrest on the early morning of Oct. 31, 2012.