Mother Accused of Attempting to Drown Children Denied Bail

A mother accused of driving her car into a lake with her three young children inside has been denied bail. The woman, who was arrested in March, was allegedly in the midst of a severe mental health breakdown when the incident occurred.

Appearing via video link in the Melbourne Magistrates Court, the mother was supported by her parents. A psychiatrist testified that the woman was suffering from a 'severe and debilitating' form of obsessive-compulsive disorder, exacerbated by pre and postnatal depression.

According to reports, the woman had locked herself in her bedroom while her husband cared for their children. After he left to go shopping, she allegedly told her eldest child to stop playing on his tablet and then attempted to drown him in a baby bath. The boy reportedly asked his mother, "Why are you doing this?"

The woman then suggested they go for a drive. Upon arriving at a creek with a boat ramp, the boy later told police he feared his mother would drive them into the water, recalling the earlier bathroom incident. She is then alleged to have locked the car doors and accelerated towards the water at high speed.

Witnesses who heard screaming called emergency services and rescued the three children, all under the age of 12, from the water. When questioned by police at the scene, the woman allegedly stated, "It was just an accident... I just slipped."

Her defense lawyer argued for bail, citing comprehensive treatment and support options available in the community and suggesting a potential mental impairment defense. The lawyer noted that the woman's mental health issues had partially resolved and warned of treatment delays in custody, stating that both the woman and the community would be best served by her accessing rehabilitation services.

The prosecution acknowledged the woman had no prior criminal history but expressed concerns about the lack of a recent mental state update. Prosecutor Fraser Cameron told the court, "If released, if she regresses again, there is a possibility she might regress or engage in similar behaviour or be a threat to herself."

Magistrate James Henderson deemed the allegations serious and found the prosecution's case strong, dismissing the bail application. The woman has been remanded in custody pending a Supreme Court directions hearing scheduled for October 12.