A man who described himself as an “intuitive healer” allegedly fatally stabbed his elderly mother inside a gated Florida community before making a disturbing confession to police.
Alexander Harrington, 50, faces a charge of first-degree premeditated murder in connection with the death of his 77-year-old mother, Susan Baratto, in Delray Beach’s gated Monterey Lake neighborhood earlier this month, CBS12 reported.
According to an affidavit obtained by the outlet, Harrington called Boca Raton’s non-emergency dispatch line on the afternoon of Sept. 11. He allegedly identified himself and said he had killed his mother.
The call was then routed to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, where Harrington allegedly repeated that he had murdered Baratto with a knife.
Deputies responding to the home found Baratto covered in blood and suffering from multiple stab wounds, the affidavit stated. A knife was discovered near her body.
Harrington also had an injury to his left arm. While being treated by paramedics, he allegedly told them, “I killed my mom,” according to the document.
He later spoke with investigators at the sheriff’s office, where he claimed he did not recognize the voice heard during his initial calls to authorities.
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Harrington again allegedly acknowledged killing his mother, though he said he could not remember what kind of knife had been used.
He also reportedly shifted back and forth between identifying himself and saying he did not recognize a shirtless man captured on video walking along a sidewalk near the Delray Beach residence.
Harrington told detectives that he had been sober since 2007. He also said he had schizoaffective disorder with bipolar features.
The day before Baratto was allegedly killed, Harrington posted a bizarre Facebook video in which he discussed the idea of forgiveness.
“I wrote down everyone that ever hurt me, and I forgave them all,” Harrington said in the video. “You have to open your heart to forgive. You can’t just say ‘I’m a forgiving person,’ because that does nothing, you have to bring in the emotions up.”
Authorities have not publicly identified a possible motive in the killing.
Harrington was ordered held without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 11.
