Jurors in the trial of a mother who accepts she took the lives of her three children have retired this evening to begin their deliberations.
44-year-old Deirdre Morley, of Parson’s Court, Newcastle Co. Dublin has pleaded not guilty to murdering Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley, by reason of insanity.
Conor was 9-years-old when she took his life on January 24th last year. Darragh was seven, and Carla was just three.
Two forensic psychiatrists contend that she was suffering from a mental disorder during that horrific episode.
Dr Brenda Wright, a forensic psychiatrist, told the court that Ms Morley had a history of depression, which evolved and she became psychotic as time went on.
By late 2019, she said she had developed delusional beliefs that her mental illness was damaging her children.
She said those thoughts manifested to the point where she believed killing them urgently was absolutely necessary, and she couldn’t identity an alternative solution.
Dr. Wright was also of the view that she wouldn’t have been able to stop herself. She was also satisfied that she met the criteria for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
