A woman’s trial over the deaths of two toddlers in March 2008 has begun in the Koping district court near Stockholm. The 32 year-old German woman, who denies the charges, was extradited to Sweden in April.
The tragic event happened in the central Swedish town of Arboga where the woman allegedly beat the two children, aged one and three, to death and injured their mother. Prosecutor Frieda Gummesson maintains that jealousy was the motive for the attack once the accused learned the mother of the two children had begun a relationship with the defendant’s former lover.
The mother’s current partner gave his testimony, telling the court that he ended his brief relationship with the German woman, whom he met in Crete, early in 2007. The accused apparently could not accept this, tracking down her former lover and his new partner in Sweden.
According to reports from the Khaleej Times, the prosecutor contends the act was premeditated and a hammer was used to repeatedly hit the two children and their mother. Although the murder weapon has yet to be recovered, Gummesson told the court that the former landlady of the accused has stated one of her hammers is missing.
The 23 year-old mother gave her testimony stating she recognised the voice, face and features of the German woman, and still suffers from problems with hearing and vision. Prosecutors have no DNA evidence to connect the accused with the crime, so will use the testimony of 56 witnesses to try and prove their case.