New Malden child murders: accu

New Malden child murders: accused SA mother sent to psychiatric care

On account of “exceptional circumstances” involved in the tragic case, the judge at South African national Tania Clarence’s bail hearing orders her to be taken into psychiatric care one week after the murders

New Malden child murders: accu

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Tania Clarence, 42, who was charged last week for the murder of her three severely disabled children in New Malden and is currently awaiting trial, has been ordered to receive treatment at an undisclosed mental health facility under the Mental Health Act.

Judge Mettyear ruled that the “exceptional circumstances” of the case would only lend to this solution during bail hearings, releasing South African national Clarence from police custody into the care of medical professionals for the time being.

Clarence had participated in the hearing at the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey in London only via videolink on Tuesday morning, not being in an emotional state that would allow her to be present in court in person. Her husband, Gary Clarence, attended the bail hearing personally.

During the hearing the court was told that the three children had likely died from suffocation, although previous results from post mortem examinations had proven inconclusive. It was further confirmed that the particular case of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which the three children had been suffering, was type II Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

The trial will commence on 15 July 2014.

By Sertan Sanderson, 2014