Mum drowned, burned 4yearold, court told

NEWPORT: A woman drowned her 4yearold daughter before setting her body on fire after believing she had to sacrifice her to God, a court in Wales has heard.

Carly Ann Harris (38) killed Amelia Brooke Harris at their home after suffering a mental breakdown which made her believe she was saving the world.

Newport Crown Court was told Amelia’s teenage brother found her body, wrapped in a sheet, on a table in their garden in Trealaw, Rhondda, South Wales, on June 8 this year.

Prosecutor Michael Jones QC said: ‘‘On that day Harris killed her 4yearold daughter Amelia by placing her in a bath of water and deliberately drowning her at their home address.

‘‘The defendant then took Amelia’s dead body out of the bath, covered her with a sheet, carried her downstairs and placed her body on a coffee table that was situated in the back garden, and then set fire to Amelia’s body.’’

A neighbour called emergency services and went into the back garden of Harris’ house where she saw Amelia’s charred remains.

When police arrived, Harris told them: ‘‘The angels told me to do it. Just arrest me. It’s OK.’’

The court heard that one of Harris’ two sons said his mother had ‘‘not been well’’ for some six weeks before the incident.

Mr Jones said the 17yearold — who cannot be named — returned home around 10pm on June 8 to find his 11yearold brother crying in the living room.

Mr Jones said: ‘‘The younger brother told him ‘Don’t go out the back garden’.

‘‘He asked why, and Harris entered the room and said ‘Amelia has gone to heaven’.

‘‘She said ‘Don’t go out the back, she’s gone to heaven and she’s coming back on Sunday’.

‘‘The son walked into the garden and, once there, saw the coffee table and after lifting the sheet up he saw his sister’s leg and it was charred and black.

‘‘He then ran into the house screaming.’’

Dr Arden Tomison, a psychiatrist, diagnosed Harris with schizophrenia.

He said she believed she had to kill Amelia to save the world, and was being tested by God who would then return her daughter to her.

Harris, from Trealaw, Tonypandy, denies murder and manslaughter. She was remanded in custody. — BPA