An Illinois mother has received her prison sentence after admitting she killed her young son.
Sarah Safranek, 38, was sentenced to 35 years behind bars for first-degree murder in the death of her 7-year-old son, Nathaniel Burton, according to local news reports citing the Ogle County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said the boy was suffocated on Feb. 17, 2021. Police responded to the family’s home in Oregon, Ill., after a report that a child was not breathing. Nathaniel was later pronounced dead at a hospital, officials said.
Court documents stated that in the months leading up to his death, Nathaniel told his paternal grandmother that his mother had tried to suffocate him with pillows and attempted to drown him, saying she “won’t let me breathe.” The alleged abuse began in 2018, according to the filings.
The grandmother told investigators she reached out to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services multiple times, leaving messages but never receiving a response.
Investigators also uncovered disturbing online searches on Safranek’s devices beginning in 2020, including, “How long does an investigation take after a child passes away,” and “I’ve had thoughts about killing my kid,” according to the documents.
Safranek first entered a guilty plea in March 2024 but later withdrew it before ultimately pleading guilty again. After serving her sentence, she will remain under supervised release for three years, officials said.
