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A Melbourne mum accused of trying to murder her three children by drowning them in a creek had allegedly searched online for 'how to kill a child quickly', a court has heard.
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court → see → child
The woman in her 30s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly tried to kill her children - who are aged 12 and younger - by driving the family car into a creek.
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who → name → creek
Details of the woman's deteriorating mental health and her alleged search history were heard in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday, where she fought to be released on bail.
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she → deteriorate → bail
She has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of attempted murder.
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She → plead → murder
The Herald Sun reported that the court heard the woman, who has severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, allegedly tried to kill the children just three weeks after the birth of her third child.
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As the woman's mental health declined, she is believed to have locked herself in her bedroom while her husband cared for the children.
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husband → decline → children
However, after he left the home for a short stint to go shopping, the woman allegedly told her eldest child - a boy - to stop playing on his tablet and go to the bathroom where she then tried to drown him in the baby bath.
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she → leave → bath
'Why are you doing this?' the boy reportedly asked his mum.
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boy → do → mum
The woman allegedly tried to kill her children, aged 12 and under, by driving them into a creek (stock image)
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woman → try → creek
The court heard the woman allegedly accelerated at 'full speed' towards the water (stock image)
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woman → hear → image
The court heard the boy told police he'd 'held on' and used his legs to avoid being submerged, before the woman suggested they get in the car and go for a drive.
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they → hear → drive
They arrived at a creek with a boat ramp, the boy later told police that he feared his mum would drive them into the water following the alleged bathroom attempt.
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mum → arrive → attempt
'I thought nah… but she did,'
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she → think → ?
he said, describing how she allegedly locked the car doors and then accelerated at 'full speed' towards the water.
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she → say → water
Detective Senior Constable Amy Tuck told the court the woman allegedly told the primary-school-aged children to 'get out' as water started to fill the car, before she pushed one of the children under the water.
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she → tell → water
'She said she was trying to save me … but it felt like I was giving her a piggyback,' the child later told police.
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child → say → police
Police allege the woman then ordered the children back into the car.
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woman → allege → car
Nearby witnesses who heard screaming called Triple Zero and waded into the water to carry the children to safety.
When questioned by police at the scene, it's alleged the woman told officers that it was 'just an accident...
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The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is fighting to be released on bail (file image)
An analysis of her phone shows the woman had allegedly made a series of disturbing searches in the lead-up to the attempted drowning, including 'how to kill a child quickly', 'why do I feel suffocated at home', 'how do you know if you're cut out to be a mother', 'difference between manslaughter and murder' and 'murder sentence Victoria'.
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you → name → manslaughter
She is also alleged to have sent text messages to her mother that included 'I want to walk out mum', 'I can't do this anymore' and 'I want to put the baby up for adoption'.
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I → allege → adoption
Detective Senior Constable Tuck said the woman's life had been plagued by 'obsessional thoughts' and she'd been prescribed medication by a peri-natal psychologist.
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she → say → psychologist
Since the alleged incident, the woman's symptoms have reportedly been resolved after receiving treatment in prison, the court heard.
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Magistrate James Henderson is expected to hand down his bail decision on Wednesday.
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Henderson → expect → Wednesday
If her bail application is successful, it's understood the woman will live with her parents.
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woman → understand → parents
She will then face the Supreme Court for a directions hearing on October 12.
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She → face → October
If this story affected you, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
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The Aporia
