Mom Drugged Son Unconscious and Slit His Throat the Day Before His Birthday — Then Claimed He Had ‘Death Wish’

A Michigan woman admitted to giving her teenage son a “mind-altering substance” before fatally stabbing him the day before his 18th birthday, claiming she was helping him fulfill a “death wish.”

Katie Austin Lee, 40, of Holland, pleaded guilty on Oct. 22 in Ottawa County Circuit Court to second-degree murder, torture, and assaulting, resisting, and obstructing a police officer in connection with the death of her son, 17-year-old Austin Dean Pikaart, according to online court records.

As shown in a Fox17 video, Lee broke down in tears while admitting that she had given her son a “drug or sedative” before cutting his wrist and throat. She had been set to stand trial but instead reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, MLive.com reported.

Under the plea deal, Lee faces 60 to 90 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 19. She had originally faced a first-degree murder charge, which carries a mandatory life sentence without parole. During the hearing, Ottawa County Circuit Judge Jon Hulsing told her that once her plea was accepted, she would not be eligible for parole until she was “over 100.” Lee tearfully confirmed that she understood.

Authorities first learned of the killing around 4:15 a.m. on Feb. 21, when Lee called 911 to report a stabbing at her apartment in Bay Pointe Apartments, according to the Holland Department of Public Safety.

Detective Sgt. Brent Sluiter said in court documents that Lee told dispatchers she “couldn’t get her son to stop breathing.” When asked to clarify, she reportedly said she had been “trying for a while” to stop his breathing because he “did not want to turn 18,” according to warrants obtained by WZZM.

When police arrived, officers were “immediately confronted” by Lee, who was holding a knife. They used a Taser to subdue her after she refused to drop it. Inside the apartment, they found Austin dead from a large cut to his throat.

Lee allegedly told police to kill her “so she could be with her son,” according to the same warrant.

In a GoFundMe organized by Alisa Pikaart, the victim’s aunt remembered Austin as “caring, humorous, playful and most of all, loved and cared for his family and friends.” She added that he loved video games and space-themed things, and that the family hopes to “launch his ashes into space on an actual rocket ship for his final destination.”