Try to boot up in "safe mode". Then do a system restore to an earlier configuration- some date befroe the trouble began. If you don't know where the restore program is, go to start, then search and put in "system restore" and run that. After the restore, run your antivirus a few times while still in safe mode.
After reading other comments I had to chime in...
I agree with using utorrent though it's not the program that is the problem, it's the website you went to the objects that you downloaded that are the cause of the problem.
I don't agree with inserting the operating system and running that 'cause you will probably erase all of your Mom's stuff, and the last place I would take it to would be one of the Big Box Stores (it takes them weeks to get the laptop back to you).*** see below
I believe the computer has been infected by a virus. If you can, download the Kaspersky Rescue Disk: http://support.kaspersky.com/4162
burn it to disk, boot to the disk, run the update first, the run the scan. It's FREE...
I usually run that program and then run 'malwarebytes' (free version) from within Windows to catch anything else.
There is also a program that will restore your personal files if they are hidden.
So, run these two programs first as this is what us professionals do. If you can not get things working properly, tell your Mom what has happened. The last thing you want to do is delete (lose) her documents/photos/etc 'cause you will never hear the end of it till the day she passes on. (Women don't forget)
I had someone call me last night asking if I was interested in purchasing his used computer. He had recently purchased a new computer because his older (2009) computer was acting up. I wasn't really interested but I let him come by anyway. Seems the Big Box Store charged him $60+ to tell him that he needs a new motherboard and the total cost would be about $700. Well, it was overheating because over a period of time where the fan in pulling in cool air, it is also pulling in dust and it collects on the heatsink and blocks the heat from escaping through the vents, so the machine gets too hot and shuts down. This is typical of the Big Box Stores as they really don't want to completely disassemble the laptop to remove the dust-bunny and renew the thermal paste.