Frederico Canuzo, an 18-year-old from Warrington, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his mother, 48-year-old Chintzia McIntyre, due to diminished responsibility following a brutal hammer attack.

The incident occurred on August 29, 2023, leading to Canuzo being initially charged with murder. A trial, previously adjourned due to his ill health, was scheduled for January 27, 2024, at Liverpool Crown Court, where his plea to manslaughter was ultimately accepted.

On the morning of the attack, at approximately 9:40 AM, Cheshire Police received emergency reports of a woman being assaulted outside her home in Phoenix Place, Great Sankey. Upon arrival, officers and paramedics found Chintzia unresponsive; she had suffered at least 29 blows to the head with a claw hammer and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Chintzia's husband alerted the authorities after receiving a notification from their video doorbell while he was away on work. The footage showed Canuzo attacking his mother before fleeing.

Canuzo was later located after boarding a train to London Euston. He was arrested by the British Transport Police and Metropolitan Police upon his arrival at the station.

Following his return to Cheshire, Canuzo was charged with murder on August 30, 2023. His guilty plea for manslaughter has now been accepted by the prosecution based on medical evidence. He remains in custody and is scheduled for sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court on March 18, 2024.

Detective Inspector Eli Atkinson, who led the investigation, stated: “This was an exceptionally traumatic incident for all those involved, especially Chintzia's family and neighbours, as well as the 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.”