Woman charged with murder of six-year-old son

Matthew HealyImage source, Waterford News and Star
Image caption,

Matthew Healy was found unresponsive in a car

  • Published

A woman in her late 30s has appeared in court charged with the murder of her six-year-old son in the Republic of Ireland.

Ruth Purcell Healy, 37, of Bishop's Field, Williamstown Road, Waterford, appeared before a special sitting of the city's district court on Tuesday evening.

Matthew Healy was found unresponsive in a car near Dunmore East in the early hours of Friday morning.

A Garda (Irish police) detective sergeant told the court that when she had been arrested and charged, he had offered her the chance to respond to the charge, but she had replied "no thank you".

The judge remanded the accused into custody in Limerick prison until next Tuesday.

He also ordered that she undergo a psychiatric evaluation on her arrival.

The funeral of Matthew Healy will take place on Wednesday.

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