Child cried out for dad while being suffocated by mum who had become 'obsessed and devastated' that she had autism, court hears

A jury has heard a child cried out for her daddy while being suffocated by her mother who had become “obsessed and devastated” the girl had autism.

The woman, who cannot be named, has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court having pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the three-year-old’s murder.

A jury heard she smothered her daughter with a Minnie Mouse pillow while she was taking an afternoon nap on the couch.

The court was told she described to gardai how she held the pillow over the child’s face as she struggled and screamed.

She said her daughter called out for her daddy and finally let out a sigh.

The Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, Ireland (Getty)

In his opening address, prosecution barrister Paul Murray said the owner of a playgroup and principal of a school attended by the child raised concerns over her behaviour.

The court heard the parents decided to take the child to an autism assessment but her mum also began researching the condition and came across Pathological Demand Avoidance.

Mr Murray said the woman became convinced her child had this particular type of autism and while the person carrying out the assessment said she showed symptoms, that diagnosis was not made. Instead the child was diagnosed with a borderline condition.

The barrister added that while the final report from the assessment was not available, the woman became totally obsessed and devastated by the diagnosis, fearing for her child’s and family’s futures.

The prosecution barrister went on to tell the court family and friends described the mother in the days leading up to the killing as “obsessed with the diagnosis” and “devastated”.

Outlining the circumstances of the child’s death, Mr Murray said the mother rang emergency services on February 10 last year to say she had suffocated her daughter on purpose.

Gardai arrived at the scene and found the child in a non-responsive condition. She died three days later.

The barrister said two consultant psychiatrists will give evidence and take the view the accused was suffering from a mental disorder and the defence of insanity is available to her.

The trial before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart is expected to last up to three days.