The Quebec woman accused of killing her three young children has been found fit to be formally charged of first degree murder.
Sonia Blanchette, 33, appeared emotionless but calm during her three minute court appearance at the Drummondville courthouse, 100 km east of Montreal.
Blanchette has remained detained over the past several weeks and had to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to see if she was fit to be formally arraigned in the deaths of her children, two-year-old Anaïs, four-year-old Loïc and five-year-old Lorelie. While the assessment finds Blanchette fit to stand trial for now, it does not say anything about her mental state at the time of the alleged crime.
The children were found dead just over a month ago by their grandmother, who was supervising the visit. Blanchette did not have custody.
The defence said the psychiatric assessment did find her client was fit to be formally arraigned on the first degree murder charge, but they still didn't enter a plea. And they also didn't hand over all the evidence to the crown.
That should happen between now and the next court hearing, set for late March.
The judge ordered the psychiatric report sealed pending trial, which should take place before judge and jury.
Comments