A journalist films a house in Sainte-Marthe-Sur-Le-Lac, Que., Thursday, Nov.2, 2017. Quebec provincial police say a woman is facing three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of three newborns. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Republished November 02, 2017 - 2:10 PM
Original Publication Date November 02, 2017 - 10:36 AM
SAINTE-MARTHE-SUR-LE-LAC, Que. - A Quebec woman was arraigned Thursday on three first-degree murder charges in the deaths of three of her own newborns.
One charge is related to a slaying that allegedly took place last Oct. 10 or 11, while the two other alleged murders were committed between Dec. 3, 2014, and last February.
She also faces three other charges: disposing of a child's body with intent to conceal the fact she gave birth; failing to provide the necessities of life; and corrupting children by participating in adultery or sexual immorality or indulging in habitual drunkenness or other forms of vice.
The 27-year-old woman appeared in court in Saint-Jerome and was ordered detained until her next court appearance Dec. 7.
The woman has another child and cannot be named.
Provincial police said Thursday she went to hospital on Oct. 15 and that hospital officials contacted authorites.
Police said in a statement they found the remains of the children a day later in her home in Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, about 50 kilometres northwest of Montreal. They added the three were all from different pregnancies.
One of her neighbours said he never saw more than one child at the house.
"They kept to themselves," he said. "Never had an issue with her."
A second neighbour said police were at the house for three straight days two weeks ago and taking things out of the residence.
"Sometimes I would get home at five in the morning and the police would still be there," he said.
(Cogeco Nouvelles)
— With files from Giuseppe Valiante of The Canadian Press
News from © The Canadian Press, 2017