EXCLUSIVE Revealed: Son who beat his mother to death with a claw hammer while husband watched on Ring doorbell was released from psychiatric hospital DAYS earlier
A teenager who beat his mother to death with a claw hammer had been released from a psychiatric ward just days earlier, MailOnline can reveal.
Frederico Canuzo killed his mother Chintzia McIntyre with at least 29 blows to the head outside the family home in Cheshire in August last year.
Her husband received a ring doorbell alert about movement outside his house while at work, and could only watch on helplessly as live footage of the attack played out on his phone.
MailOnline can now reveal the 17-year-old had been admitted to Ancora House in Chester on August 13 after travelling to London from his family’s home in Warrington and telling police he wanted to talk to MI5.
But on August 24 he was released from the specialist inpatient unit and returned home.
He was due back at the unit on August 29 – the very day he launched his murderous attack against his mother.
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust has refused to explain why Canuzo was released from its facility, but prosecutors have accepted his guilty plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
The now 18-year-old has been remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday 18 March.
A source close to the family told how Canuzo had travelled from his Warrington home to London on August 11, reportedly trying to reach MI5.
He eventually handed himself over to police at Charing Cross station, before being taken to hospital.
Two days later he was admitted on a voluntary basis to Ancora House, a specialist unit designed to treat young people with psychiatric and behavioural issues.
The unit encourages short-term releases for young people held voluntarily to spend time with family and friends.
Cheshire Police were called to Ms McIntyre’s home in Great Sankey at around 9.40am on the day of the killing.
Emergency services rushed to the scene but despite their best efforts, sadly Ms McIntyre was pronounced dead.
It was determined she had suffered at least 29 blows to the head with a claw hammer.
Officers investigating in the aftermath of the attack found that Canuzo had fled and boarded a train heading to London Euston.
British Transport Police and the Metropolitan Police were informed and arrested him as he arrived on the platform in London.
A spokesperson for Cheshire Police told MailOnline: ‘At 10.30pm on Friday 11 August 2023, Frederico Canuzo presented himself at Charing Cross Police station in London.
‘After speaking to officers and paramedics at the station he voluntarily agreed to attend St Thomas Hospital.
‘His parents visited the hospital on Saturday, August 12, and on Sunday, August 13, he was brought back to Cheshire by medical staff and his parents, where he agreed to be admitted to Ancora House in Chester as a voluntary patient.
‘Canuzo left Ancora House on Thursday, August 24,for a home visit and was due to return on Tuesday, August 29 for a further assessment.
‘It should be noted that throughout his time in hospital Canuzo was a voluntary patient.’
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust declined to comment on Canuzo’s release, but Suzanne Edwards, Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership, said: ‘We offer our sincerest condolences to Chintzia’s family and friends during this difficult time.
‘We are supporting Warrington Community Safety Partnership with their independent domestic homicide review process and are unable to comment further while this review is ongoing.’
After his mother’s death, Canuzo’s brother wrote a heartbreaking tribute on social media describing her as ‘beautiful, shining, funny and all around fabulous’.
‘Four weeks ago today my beautiful, shining, funny and all around fabulous mother was taken away from me in an unimaginable way,’ he wrote.
‘The past four weeks have been the worst and most heartbreaking time that me and my family have had to go through.
‘She was my person and I no longer have her with me until I get to see her again later on in life.’
He added: ‘I love and miss you so much mother and I cant wait to see you again. But for now, Ill say my final goodbye and goodnight until we meet again.’
Canuzo was charged with murder on August 30, and last month pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which has been accepted by the prosecution based on medical evidence.
Prosecutor Gordon Cole said: ‘The Crown has now had the benefit of a report from a doctor, and on Friday, a formal defence report.
‘The position is: we are minded to accept the new plea of guilty to the partial defence of diminished responsibility.’
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.’
