After the Christmas Day murder in Boden, relatives are sharply criticizing psychiatric care. The 22-year-old man who killed a woman and injured her two daughters, before being shot dead by police after the crime, had recently been involuntarily admitted—but was discharged after just one day. His mother claims that the healthcare system failed to take responsibility, despite repeated warning signs of serious mental illness.

The mother of the 22-year-old man told NSD how her son struggled with mental illness for most of his life. At times, his behavior changed so drastically that she experienced him as both unpredictable and threatening. She recounts that for a period, she felt afraid in her own home and began locking her bedroom door at night, as she no longer recognized her son.

According to her, he reached the bottom of his diagnoses several times, which made him a potential danger—both to himself and to others. This was an insight that grew over time but ultimately became impossible to ignore.

Repeated Warnings—but Only Short-Term Care

Over the years, the son had ongoing contact with psychiatric services. On one occasion, he was hospitalized for over two weeks, but most interventions were brief. The mother repeatedly raised the alarm that he was being discharged too soon and that, as a relative, she felt the situation worsened after each release.

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After a suicide attempt, he was prescribed medication, but stopped taking it after a few months due to side effects. When the mother contacted psychiatric services for help, she was told that the healthcare system couldn’t do anything as long as he wasn’t taking his medication.

Without medication, his behavior changed even further, according to his mother. He became more isolated and increasingly aggressive.

Involuntary Admission—Cut Short

On December 17, the man was involuntarily admitted to psychiatric hospital. For the mother, the decision brought temporary relief. She felt that care was finally taking the situation seriously and that both her son and others were now protected.

But the relief was short-lived. He was discharged already the next day.

In retrospect, the mother feels that the discharge had devastating consequences. She believes that if her son had remained in inpatient care for a longer period, with proper support and supervision, the tragedy could likely have been avoided. She expresses deep disappointment with psychiatric services’ assessment and sense of responsibility.

Christmas Day That Shocked Boden

On Christmas Day, the violent crime took place, shaking the entire community. Police were called to a residential area in central Boden after reports of a suspected assault. On site, they found a woman in her 50s dead. Her two teenage daughters were severely injured and taken to hospital, where their conditions were later described as stable.

The perpetrator, a 22-year-old man, was shot dead by police during their intervention. Police have described the course of events as extremely violent.

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According to the investigation, the man rang the doorbell at the woman’s house, stabbed her to death, and then entered the house where the daughters were also injured. According to both police and relatives, there are no known connections between the perpetrator and the victims.

Police’s View: Complex and Early-Stage Investigation

The lead investigator, Detective Superintendent P-O Andersson, has described the investigation as extensive and complex. A large number of interviews have been conducted, but police are clear that it is still early in the process.

One of the injured daughters has been interviewed by police, but details regarding her statement have not been made public.

“An Incredibly Tragic Event”

The mother of the suspected perpetrator emphasizes that her grief and anger are not only about her son’s fate, but above all about the victim and her family. She describes it as deeply tragic that a completely innocent woman lost her life and that her children were badly injured.

To her, the incident also raises a broader question about society’s responsibility for people with severe mental illness—and whether psychiatric care truly has the resources, mandate, and routines to act when warning signs are clear.