Samantha Ford: Mother who drowned twins in bath was ‘narcissistic’ and not severely depressed, psychiatrist says

‘I think it is a conscious colouring of the mental health narrative – a wish to appear more severely ill than she is’

Jake and Chloe Ford, both 23 months old, were killed by their mother on Boxing Day in 2018 (Steven Ford / SWNS)

A mother who drowned her young twins in the bath on Boxing Day showed signs of “narcissistic rage” and was not suffering the catastrophic depression claimed by her defence lawyer, a psychiatrist has told a court.

Samantha Ford, 38, drowned 23-month-olds Jake and Chloe at her house in Margate, Kent, in December 2018, less than two months after her husband left her.

Hours after killing her children, who were conceived via IVF treatment, she drove her Ford Galaxy into the back of a lorry in an apparent suicide attempt, telling police officers to “please let her die” before admitting she had killed her “miracle babies”.

But a forensic psychiatrist told the court he believed Ford had consciously exaggerated her symptoms in “a wish to appear more severely ill than she is”.

Ford admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and is now facing sentence at the Old Bailey, where a judge will decide whether she should be sent to a psychiatric hospital or whether she should serve time in prison.

At the hearing, which will now run over to another date next month, her defence barrister Brenda Campbell QC said Ford had suffered a “catastrophic level” of depression in the lead up to the twins death.

Ms Campbell said there had been 76 communications between Ford and mental health services in the weeks leading up to the killings.

But a psychiatrist giving evidence on Friday said Ford was preoccupied with the loss of her “perfect life” when her husband left her, and also exhibited narcissistic personality traits.

Ford was first placed in women’s prison HMP Bronzefield, but has since been moved to the Trevor Gibbens psychiatric unit in Maidstone, Kent.

Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Muzaffar Hussain was asked whether Ford was suffering from severe depression at the time of the twins deaths.

He said: “I think she was moderately depressed at the time and angry with Steven [Ford, her husband] in the context of the exchanges they were having at the time.

“She wanted to take the children as well as herself as the means to punish him. She was able to do the first part but not the second.

“I think the aggressive thoughts towards the children emanated from her aggressive thoughts towards Mr Ford because he had left her.”

Giving evidence about his diagnosis of Ford as having adjustment disorder, the psychiatrist said it could have been triggered by having to move back to England from Qatar, where they had lived for 10 years.

Dr Hussain said Ford suffered from depression and anxiety after the move which worsened when her husband left her.

He said: “In my view she had depressive symptoms at the time.

“However, at the same time she was very wounded narcissistically by Mr Ford’s departure from the family home and how her perfect life, which she felt was perfect in every way, was taken away from her.

“I think from my reading of her social media and text messages there was a substantial component of narcissistic rage at the time.

“Of not being able to control Mr Ford, an intention to control him in the sense of keeping him in the family and keeping the perfect life with the children – and that played a big part as well as the adjustment disorder.

“My understanding of her is that it did not approach the severity of becoming a personality disorder because those traits were compensated with the relationship she had at the time with Mr Ford.”

Dr Hussain said Ford’s claims she “heard a male voice telling her to kill the children” was an “embellishment”.

He said: “I have no evidence she was psychotic at the time, and there’s no evidence she’s been psychotic since.

“In my opinion the self report of voices is embellishment. This is not to say there were intrusive thoughts which were part of the post-traumatic symptoms which she had at the time.

“The embellishment, I think it is a conscious colouring of the mental health narrative. It’s a wish to appear more severely ill than she is.

“I am not denying she’s ill, but I think there’s a wish by her to appear more severely ill than she is.”

The psychiatrist said Ford had spoken to staff at the hospital she is being treated at about her lavish lifestyle in Qatar, and he believes it is the loss of that lifestyle she is still mourning.

He said: “What we find is what she’s most regretful about is losing that perfect life, a perfect life with Steve in Qatar. A perfect life with her miracle children. The perfect house.

“It’s the loss of that that she grieves. In my my view that’s a balanced view of where she is in the grieving process.

“I don’t think she’s grieving for the children yet, I think she’s grieving for the loss of her life. She’s grieving for the children in that they were perfect children in a perfect life.

In a victim impact statement, the twins’ father Steven, described the act as “the ultimate punishment”.

“I have no doubt in my mind she has done this with the intention of ending her life and hurting me in the process,” he said. ”I know her character and how she behaves when things don’t go in her way.

“I understand she was in a depressive state and also struggling emotionally. But I think she still knew what was right from wrong. How I wish I had never taken them back to her. I only did this because I thought every mum deserves to be with their kids.

“I believe what happened here is an extreme version of her character. Like a tantrum. She knew it was the ultimate punishment.”

The sentencing hearing was adjourned until 16 August at the Old Bailey.

SWNS