AN ABERGAVENNY mother stabbed her baby daughter to death in a frenzied attack while suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, a court heard.

Jade Ruck, 23, formerly of St David's Road, Mardy, appeared in Swansea Crown Court for sentencing yesterday, having previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Prosecutor James Wilson said the body of 11-month-old Harley Ruck was found at the St David's Road flat she shared with her mother in the early hours of November 20 last year, after Ruck phoned 999 saying she had stabbed her baby.

In the 999 call, Ruck said: "I have a situation here. I don’t know what’s happening, but I have a one-year-old baby and I literally stabbed her. I couldn’t handle my life no more. I couldn’t handle it.”

The court heard Ruck was in a relationship with Dorian Twist, after the couple met at Woodstock House, a homeless shelter in Abergavenny. Mr Wilson said Ruck fell pregnant, but the relationship ended and Ruck had difficulty coming to terms with the break up.

In the weeks leading up to the incident, the court heard Ruck’s family noticed she was behaving oddly and family members who saw Ruck the day before the incident said she was “vacant and strange.”

Mr Wilson said Mr Twist’s mother, Janet Hyde, received a call from Ruck at around 1.45am on November 20 saying “she felt like dying, everything was going dark and she was hot.”

Mrs Hyde rang the police and two officers attended at around 2am, who said Ruck was extremely upset and had been crying, but Harley was fine.

Mr Wilson said the officers left after being as “reassured as they could be” and completed social services referrals for Ruck.

At 3.34am, Ruck rang ‘999’ saying she had stabbed her baby.

Mr Wilson said Ruck told the operator she had stabbed Harley in the heart, and when the ambulance arrived paramedics found the baby’s body in the hall, with a kitchen knife lying alongside.

The court heard the paramedic noted stab wounds to Harley’s chest and abdomen and said it looked like it was a “frenzied attack.” Signs of strangulation were also found on Harley’s body.

Mr Wilson said Ruck was arrested and her behaviour was “clearly bizarre in the circumstances.”

He said Ruck told officers “I’m free now. I had to be normal again. I loved my baby I did.”

Ruck was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and charged with murder in April this year. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility last week.

Ruck’s counsel Peter Murphy QC said two psychiatric reports showed Ruck had, for the past several years, been suffering from paranoid schizophrenia characterised by delusions and hallucinations.

Dr Tegwyn Williams, a consultant at the Caswell Clinic, Bridgend, where Ruck is being treated, said while she was responding to treatment the chronic nature of her condition meant there would be relapses.

Mr Justice Lloyd Jones said: “This case has been a great tragedy for everybody concerned, but in particular for those who tried to help and support Jade Ruck.

“I hope that the end of these proceedings and the fact that Jade Ruck will now receive the treatment she needs will provide a measure of closure for those concerned.”

The judge made Ruck the subject of a indeterminate hospital order under the Mental Health Act.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said after the hearing: "The death of Harley Ruck was a tragedy that affected the whole community. Following the decision of the court Harley's mother will now get the treatment she needs.

“The investigation team would like to thank Harley's extended family for their help and co-operation throughout the investigation process. They have been given support throughout the investigation by our specially trained family liaison officers."

Following Harley's death, Gwent Police referred the investigation to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, as is their policy in cases where someone has died after being in contact with police. The matter was referred back to Gwent Police and an internal investigation is ongoing.

The Argus asked Monmouthshire Council when they became aware of Ruck's diagnosis, what treatment she was receiving, what safeguards were in place to protect Harley and whether an internal investigation was underway.

A Monmouthshire spokesman said: "The family are in our thoughts and we are awaiting the outcome of a serious case review into the matter."