A heartbroken 83-year-old mother in China, who killed her disabled son after taking care of him devotedly for decades has been spared jail. The court showed mercy to Ms Huang, who claimed she chose to end her son's life because she didn't want him to suffer when she dies.

Ms Huang said she had looked after her child, who was born with severe disabilities, for 46 years before coming to the difficult decision. 

Ms Huang was given a three-year imprisonment suspended for four years on October 26.

According to People's Daily Online, Ms Huang dosed her 46-year-old son with sleeping pills at home in Yuexiu district of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province on May 9. She then covered her son's mouth with a quilt and strangled him.

Ms Huang turned herself in on the same day, presenting a paper listing her son's physical condition and claiming that she was the only person responsible for the killing.

She explained to the police that her son was born with disabilities, including mental defects and rickets, that left him having difficulties in talking and walking.

The problem worsened when her son reached the age of 30 as he developed muscular dystrophy and became bed-ridden.

She refused to send her son to caretaker's home and community centre, said Ms Huang's another son.

Ms Huang stated that she had been struggling to take care of her son in the past two years as she got older.

'I'm worried that I would leave before him and I didn't want to pass this responsibility to my elder son. I had been thinking about it for a long time before deciding to put an end on his life,' she cried.

Public prosecutor Qiu Lingzhu, agreed that Ms Huang had broken the laws and orders. However, given by the situation, Qiu believed that Ms Huang killed her son 'out of love and care'.

'The mother had taken away her son's right to live, but considering her motives were not as serious as other crimes and passing the age of 75 years old, a suspended sentence can be given out,' said the public prosecutor.

Huang's family had also written a pleading letter to prove the elderly woman's affection to her son. 

Ms Huang will face a three-year imprisonment and receive a four-year suspended sentence. 

Judge Wan's verdict revealed that the defendant had intentionally killed her son out of love. Given that the defendant, at the age over 75 years old, had turned herself in, the sentencing will be reduced.