Baby case adjourned

LAWYERS for the mother of a baby girl whose body washed up on a Gold Coast beach after drowning in the Tweed River have asked for a long adjournment to consider the case.

The woman, who cannot be identified, is charged with failing to provide her daughter with the necessities of life.

Wearing jeans and an olive jumper, the woman sat impassively yesterday as her case was adjourned for mention on April 1 in Tweed Local Court.

The 23-year-old has been in a mental health facility since she was granted bail in December and has a history of mental illness, court documents reveal.

The documents refer to diary entries made by the mother where she wrote that her daughter was “evil” and an “abomination”.

The mother-of-two was allegedly heavily influenced by religion and believed she was Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Her family waited outside the courtroom as her case was mentioned.

The woman’s defence team said the prosecution’s brief of evidence was more than 3500 pages and asked for a lengthy adjournment.

Her bail was continued on the provision she return to the mental health facility.

The baby’s father, a homeless 47-year-old, was charged on November 22 with murdering his daughter.

He has been remanded in custody to appear on April 29.