Woman accused of toddler son's murder weeps in court
A Dublin woman accused of the murder of her two-year-old son wept in court today as her case was adjourned for a book of evidence to be prepared.
Hazel Waters, 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 his apartment at about 2pm on October 16.
She is accused of murdering her son at a time between 15-16 October.
She had been remanded in custody to the Dochas Centre, the women's unit in Mountjoy Prison, on October 18 but four days later, during her second hearing, Dublin District Court heard that Ms Waters had been transferred to the Central Mental Hospital.
She was unable to attend another hearing, on November 5, but was in court today.
Garda Sergeant Thomas Doran asked Judge Michael Walsh to grant an adjournment until December 17 and defence solicitor Padraig O'Donovan consented to this request. The state were granted a time extension to complete the book of evidence and Ms Waters was further remanded in custody.
Dressed in a black suit, a pink headscarf and sandals, she dried her eyes with a handkerchief as the judge granted the adjournment.
Hassan's acupuncturist father Mohammed Saleem Khan, 61, laid his son to rest following a burial ceremony on October 20.
At an earlier stage in the proceedings, the court had heard Ms Waters made no reply when she was charged with murdering her son at a time between 15-16 October.
Due to the nature of the charge a bail application can only be made in the High Court and Ms Waters was remanded in custody 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.
