Trial Resumes Wednesday For Horsham Mom Accused In Son's Death

HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —The trial of a Horsham mother accused in the strangulation death of her 11-year-old son was postponed Tuesday due to the storm.

Officials said that the Montgomery County Courthouse is closed due to the storm Tuesday.

The trial of Ruth Dirienzo-Whitehead, 51, on first-degree murder and third-degree murder charges and a charge of possessing an instrument of crime began before Montgomery County Judge William R. Carpenter on Monday in the death of her son in April.

Officials said the trial would pick up again Wednesday with Montgomery County prosecutors wrapping up their case.

The defense is then expected to call its expert witnesses in its insanity defense. In mid-November, the Philadelphia lawyer who is representing Dirienzo-Whitehead filed a motion with the courts for that defense.

"As we said from the start, there's just no explanation for it," Eugene Tinari told Patch then. Tinari said he would present "multiple witnesses at the trial to support that argument."

Following the incident, Tineri called his client "delusional."

Dirienzo-Whitehead said that she strangled her son with her husband's belt at the family's Privet Road home after he had been "upset and crying off and on all day" over the family's financial difficulties, according to an affidavit.

Authorities said after DiRienzo-Whitehead left her home, she drove the family’s SUV to Cape May, N.J. There, she proceeded to drive the vehicle into the ocean just off Beach Avenue, where it was found by Cape May Police. She then walked to Wildwood Crest, where she was taken into custody by Wildwood Crest Police.

DiRienzo-Whitehead continues to be held in the Montgomery County jail.