Tania Clarence remanded in secure hospital over child murder charges

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

A South African woman accused of murdering her three disabled children has been remanded to a secure hospital under the Mental Health Act in the UK.

42-year old Tania Clarence was denied bail on Tuesday, but judge Brian Barker agreed for her to be detained in hospital because it was an exceptional case and because of her need for immediate treatment.

Clarence, looking pale and distressed, appeared via a video link at the Old Bailey accused of killing her four-year-old daughter, Olivia, and three-year-old twin sons, Ben and Max, at the family home in New Malden, south-west London, last week.

All three children had type II spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic condition that can cause fatal respiratory problems and shorten life expectancy.

Her husband, 43-year-old Gary Clarence, a director of Investec, sat in the well of court three at the Old Bailey.

He was away with their healthy eldest child, 8-year-old Taya in the family's native South Africa at the time of the deaths.

A plea and case management hearing will be held at the Old Bailey on the 15th of July.