Mother accused of three-year-old son's murder too ill to attend court
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is drafting the book of evidence for the trial of a doctor charged with the murder of her three-year-old son in Dublin, a court has heard.
GP Maha Al-Adheem, 42, was due to face her fifth scheduled appearance at Dublin District Court having been remanded in custody on July 13 last. She was too sick to attend her hearing on three later dates and did not appear in court again today.
Defence solicitor Richard Young said there was a letter to explain why she could not be brought to court.
He said that the case was listed for directions from the DPP and the book of evidence was “in drafting”.
Judge Walsh further remanded her in custody in her absence to appear on Oct. 23 next. Mr Young said the DPP’s directions will have to be given formally and hopefully the book of evidence can be served on that date.
She was too ill to attend hearings four weeks ago and eight weeks ago and was also unable to be brought to court for her previous scheduled hearing on June 20 last. Det Sergeant Brendan O’Halloran had then told the court, “she is not going to be produced today she is sick, judge.”
The body of Omar Omran, who was stabbed to death, was found when gardai and an ambulance crew were called to his home at Riverside Apartments in Kimmage, at about seven o’clock on July 10 last.
Entry was forced and the infant child was found in his bedroom. Days later, the toddler was laid to rest he was brought to the Islamic section of Newcastle Cemetery, in Co Dublin, following prayers at Clonskeagh mosque.
Following the discovery of her son’s body, Ms Al-Adheem, a doctor from Iraq who had been living in Ireland since 2010, was detained at Crumlin Garda Station under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
At her first hearing, Det Sergeant O’Halloran had told Judge Walsh that Ms Al-Adheem was arrested at 12.30am on July 13 for the offence of murder contrary to common law. He had said she made no reply.
Det Sgt O’Halloran had said he cautioned her about 45 minutes later and charged her. He had told the court she was given a true copy of the charge and in reply to the charge she said, “Yes it was my knife, yes it was my hand, it was not me, it was the power.”
The district court cannot grant bail in a murder case; an application has to be made in the High Court.
