Dublin woman will face Central Criminal Court accused of murdering two-year-old son
A Dublin woman accused of the murder of her two-year-old son wept as a judge was told the DPP has directed she will stand trial in the Central Criminal Court.
Hazel Waters (aged 46) of Ridge Hall, Ballybrack, Co Dublin, had been charged after toddler Muhammad Hassan Khan was found dead with stab wounds in the bedroom at their apartment at about 2pm on October 16.
She is accused of murdering her son at a time between October 15 and 16.
Today at Dublin District Court, defence solicitor Padraig O'Donovan told Judge Michael Walsh that the case was listed for formal directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to be conveyed.
A State solicitor informed the judge that “the DPP consents to the accused being returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court.”
A four-week adjournment was granted for the completion of the book of evidence.
Ms Waters, dressed in a black coat and trousers, and a pink head scarf, did not address the court and wept as the judge was told the DPP's decision.
Judge Walsh further remanded her in custody to appear again at the District Court in four weeks for her to be served with the book of evidence and sent forward for trial.
At an earlier stage in the proceedings, the court had heard Ms Waters made no reply when she was charged with the murder of her son.
Due to the nature of the charge a bail application can only be made in the High Court and Ms Waters has been remanded to the Dochas Centre, the women's unit in Mountjoy Prison.
At her first hearing on October 18, the court had heard her only income was a lone parent allowance and she had been granted free legal aid.
Earlier this month an inquest into the death of her son heard the toddler died as a result of multiple penetrating wounds to his neck. Dublin Coroner's Court has adjourned the inquest indefinitely pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
Hassan's acupuncturist father Mohammed Saleem Khan (aged 61) identified the body of his son for gardaí at Tallaght Hospital on the evening of October 17.
He laid their son, who was aged two years and nine months, to rest following a burial ceremony on October 20.
