Meriden mother convicted of murdering 8-year-old son, setting fire to home in 2016

Staff report, Hartford Courant
·2 min read

A Meriden mother was found guilty on Tuesday of killing her 8-year-old son and intentionally setting two fires in their home in 2016, according to a statement from New Haven State’s Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr.

A jury found Karin Ziolkowski guilty of murder and second-degree arson in the trial in New Haven Superior Court presided over by Judge Jon M. Alander.

According to evidence and testimony during the trial, Ziolkowski suffocated her 8-year-old son, Elijah Ziolkowski, in their Meriden home on Nov. 14, 2016, then intentionally set two fires — one in the bedroom and another in the basement. The fire marshal had determined that tiki torch fluid was used to start the blaze.

The child was not able to be resuscitated on scene and his death was ruled a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to court records. The medical examiner determined the boy died of both asphyxiation and a lethal dose of an antihistamine, commonly found in Benadryl, officials said in 2016.

“Our thoughts are with Elijah’s family at this time and we hope this verdict eases some of the suffering they’ve endured after the unimaginable loss of a child,” Doyle said. “We also would like to extend our appreciation to the Meriden police, firefighters and EMTs as well as those in the Division of Scientific Services and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner who worked on this case. Though they are trained to handle investigations involving the deaths of children, we know this work can take a toll both physically and emotionally.”

Ziolkowski was arrested in October of 2017 in North Carolina. Arrest records indicated that she was struggling with depression before Elijah was killed and had issues in her marriage to Marc Ziolkowski.

In the weeks before Elijah’s death, a judge dismissed a divorce case between Karin Ziolkowski and her husband for lack of diligence, according to previous reports.

Friends and family told investigators that Karin Ziolkowski was depressed over her financial and marital issues before Elijah was killed, according to the warrant for her arrest. Her stepmother said that Marc Ziolkowski was verbally abusive, something Karin Ziolkowski later told investigators.

Karin Ziolkowski’s sentencing will take place on Jan. 10, 2023, in New Haven Superior Court.