Mother of child found dead in Lisburn house denies murder

Michelle Owens accused of killing her son Brendan (3)

The 28-year-old Lisburn mother of a toddler found dead in their home following a fire has denied his murder.

Michelle Owens, from Trinity Terrace in the Longstone Street area, was formally arraigned before Belfast Crown Court with the murder of her three-year-old son Brendan on July 3rd, 2013.

Defence QC Mark Mulholland told Mr Justice Weir that while medical reports, just received, would be 'furnished' to the court, it was "the common application" of both defence and prosecution that the case be further reviewed at the end of the month.

No details surrounding the death of the boy were outlined in court, but at the time it was reported that his body was found at his home in at 2.20am on July 4th, 2013 by police responding to a call.

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Following her plea, Ms Owens, who is on bail, was returned to the Shannon Clinic, a secure psychiatric unit at the Knockbracken Health Care Park in south Belfast.