Mum drug son unconscious and cut his throat the day before his birthday – then claimed he had a ‘death wish’

A Michigan mother admitted to giving her teenage son a “mind-altering substance” and fatally stabbing him the day before his 18th birthday to help him fulfill what she claimed was a “death wish.”

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

Lee cried as she admitted to giving her son a “drug or sedative” before cutting his wrist and throat, according to a video shown on Fox17.

Lee was due to stand trial but struck a deal with prosecutors before it began, MLive.com reports.

As part of the deal, she faces between 60 and 90 years behind bars when she is sentenced on January 19. She initially faced a charge of first-degree murder, which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

During the hearing, Ottawa County Circuit Judge Jon Hulsing explained to her that once he accepted her plea, she would not be eligible for parole until she was “over 100. Do you understand?” according to a video of the hearing shown on Fox17.

She said yes and cried when she answered.

As PEOPLE previously reported, the gruesome crime came to the attention of authorities at 4:15 a.m. on Feb. 21, when Lee called 911 to report a stabbing at her unit at Bay Pointe Apartments, the Holland, Mich., Department of Public Safety said in a news release at the time.

“Caller Katie Lee told dispatch she couldn’t get her son to stop breathing,” Det. Sgt. Brent Sluiter said in the decision, according to a transcript of the hearing, MLive.com reports.

The dispatcher asked, “What won’t he stop?” according to a decision obtained by WZZM.

She told the dispatcher she “had been trying for a while” to stop his breathing, according to the warrant. He asked her to do this “because he didn’t want to turn 18”, she claimed.

When officers arrived at her apartment, they were “immediately” confronted by Lee, who was reportedly holding a knife, according to the warrant obtained by WZZM.

Officers had to use a Taser on Lee before arresting her because she refused to drop the knife, it said.

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Inside the apartment, officers found the body of her son, who, according to an autopsy, died of a large throat wound, according to the arrest warrant, WZZM reports.

She told officers to kill her “so she could be with her son,” according to the warrant obtained by WZZM.

In one GoFundMe organized by Alisa Pikaart, she wrote that her nephew “was thoughtful, humorous, playful and most of all loved and cared for his family and friends.

“He loved video games and anything ‘space’ and ‘galaxy’ themed, and one day we plan to send his ashes into space on an actual rocket ship for his final destination! It was truly an honor to have known him, and he will be deeply missed.”

Lee’s attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.