Mother charged with child murders

(REX)

The mother of two toddlers whose bodies were found in the boot of her car will appear before magistrates today charged with their murders, police said.

The children were discovered in a holdall on Wednesday after their mother Fiona Donnison attended a police station in Heathfield, East Sussex in a distressed state.

It is thought Harry, three, and Elise, two, had been asphyxiated.

Post-mortem examinations revealed they had been dead for less than 24 hours when they were found in Donnison's silver Nissan car, parked near the former family home in Heathfield.

Donnison, 43, of Marshwood Road, Lightwater, Surrey, will appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court charged with their murders between January 26 and 27.

Donnison, who was estranged from her husband, was discharged from Eastbourne District General Hospital after being treated for apparently self-inflicted wounds.

She was released into police custody last night and was charged with the children's murders early this morning, police said.

A statement from Sussex police read: "Following professional medical assessment at Eastbourne District General Hospital, Mrs Donnison was released into police custody late on Friday evening and taken to Eastbourne Custody Centre.

"Detectives, led by Det Ch Insp Steve Johns from Sussex Police's Major Crime Branch, were given authority to charge her with the murders at 1.54am on Saturday and she was remanded in custody.

"She will appear before Brighton Magistrates this morning."