Hazel Waters case adjourned for two weeks

Prosecutors have been given an additional two weeks in preparing their case against a Dublin woman accused of the murder of her two-year-old son.

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 apartment at about 2pm on October 16th, 2014.

She is accused of murdering her son at a time between October 15th and 16th.

The DPP directions are required and a book of evidence has yet to be prepared.

Last month, Gda Sgt Thomas Doran had told Judge Michael Walsh at Dublin District Court that, "the file is at an advanced stage".

Ms Waters was not present for the hearing in which the State asked for a four-week adjournment.

Defence solicitor Padraig O’Donovan said he was not in a position to consent and Judge Walsh agreed to adjourn the case in defendant’s absence for two weeks.

At an earlier stage in the proceedings, the court had heard Ms Waters made no reply when she was charged with murdering her son.

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 Dóchas Centre, the women's unit in Mountjoy Prison.

At her first hearing on October 18th, the court had heard her only income was a lone parent allowance and she had been granted free legal aid.

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 5th, but since then had been in court on two dates to face the proceedings.

Hassan’s acupuncturist father Mohammed Saleem Khan (61), laid their son to rest following a burial ceremony on October 20th.