An 18-year-old male who admitted causing the death of his mother in Warrington has been detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.
Frederico Canuzo, from Warrington, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday 18 March 2025 where he was sentenced.
He previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his mother, 48-year-old Chintzia McIntyre, on the grounds of diminished responsibility on Monday 27 January 2025.
The guilty plea to manslaughter was accepted by the prosecution based on medical evidence.
When passing sentence, a judge ruled that he should be made subject to a Hospital Order and a Restriction Order and will be detained at a secure hospital until such a time he is deemed no longer to be a risk to the community.
At around 9.40am on Tuesday 29 August 2023, Cheshire Police received reports of a woman being attacked outside her home address in Phoenix Place, Great Sankey.
Police and ambulance teams were sent to the scene, but Chintzia was sadly pronounced dead. It was determined she had suffered significant head injuries after being hit with a claw hammer.
Outlining the facts Gordon Cole, KC, prosecuting, said, “At 9.38am on Tuesday 29th August 2023, Stephen McIntyre who is the step-father of the defendant and the husband of Chintzia, received a ‘ring doorbell notification’ on his mobile phone, there being a doorbell camera at his home address.
“Stephen McIntyre opened the App on his phone and saw that he had received three clips from the camera at his home address.He was was at the time working away in Leicestershire.”
Mr Cole said that the graphic clips “showed the defendant ferociously attacking his wife with a claw hammer. The claw hammer was actually used something in the region of 29 times, primarily to the head of Chintzia McIntyre, but also blows struck her back and her right hand.”
“Having attacked his mother and having killed her, the defendant was seen jogging away from the scene.”
Mr McIntyre immediately called 999 and the emergency services arrived at the family’s home in Phoenix Place, Warrington, at 9.51am. Despite intense medical treatment, including the despatch and arrival of a helicopter the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile Canuzo was seen on CCTV boarding a train at the town’s Bank Quay station to London.
“British Transport Police and Metropolitan Police were informed and the defendant was arrested on the platform at Euston upon his getting off the train,” said Mr Cole.
A post mortem examination found that Chintzia had sustained “multiple lacerations to her scalp and there was a large open complex merger of wounds to the back of the head.
“ There was complex skull fracturing including discrete ‘punched in’ rounded fractures and areas of internal bevelling. There was scalp bruising and brain damage.
The pathologist also found bruises to her upper back and defensive injuries to her right hand and described the cause of death as multiple blunt force head injuries.
His barrister Tim Clark, KC, said that the medication he received at that hospital was insufficient for his condition.
Defence expert consultant forensic psychiatrist Navdeep Malik told the court that Canuzo is currently on two “heavy grade” medications but he continues to be severely ill. It was believed his mental health problems had developed over a year and rapidly deteriorated.
He believed he was being persecuted and received “hidden messages. “He believed he was going to be killed and was under threat.”
Dr Malik said the defendant has “grandiose” ideas and impaired decision making and sees imaginary people. “He lives in an imaginary world where he is special.
“His understanding into his mental health condition is poor,” he explained and added it was not known how long he would need treatment.
The doctor said that Canuzo thought his food in the hospital was being poisoned and that “the doctors and family members, including his parents, were part of the conspiracy and wanted him dead.”
“In order to save his life he believed the only way was not to go back to the hospital. He believed it was the only way out to save his life. When leaving the house to return to hospital the offence occurred.”
Mr Clark said the defendant, who used to smoke cannabis and had a limited history of cocaine use, was described as a “polite and lovely lad and never aggressive” before his illness.
“He was a pleasant young man and then this dreadful illness meant his mental health was affected and very suddenly deteriorated greatly. It is a tragic case. The need for treatment is greater than the need for punishment.”
Detective Inspector Eli Atkinson, who led the investigation, said: “This was an exceptionally traumatic incident for all those involved, especially Chintzia’s family and neighbours and emergency services who tried to help her.
“While nothing can ever be done to bring Chintzia back, I do hope that the conclusion of this case will bring her family some closure.
“Our thoughts remain with Chintzia’s friends and family at this time, and we would like to thank them for their assistance throughout our investigation.”
