Tania Clarence, 42, is accused of killing three-year-old twin sons, Ben and Max, and four-year-old daughter Olivia, who all suffered from a degenerative condition sometimes described as ‘floppy baby syndrome’.
The mother-of-four, who was taken into court covered in a fluorescent jacket, cried as soon as she saw her investment banker husband Gary Clarence, 43, who flew home to Britain from his native South Africa yesterday after a holiday with their eldest daughter.
Mr Clarence hugged relatives as he
arrived in court and sat feet from his wife during the two-minute hearing. He had bloodshot eyes and his hands shook.
She sobbed uncontrollably throughout and locked eyes
with her husband as she struggled to confirm her name, address and date of
birth to magistrates.
Mrs Clarence was remanded in custody and will appear at
the Old Bailey on May 9.
Bereft: Gary Clarence leaves Wimbledon
Magistrates Court, south west London, where his wife Tania appeared in
court charged with murdering three of their children
Appearance: Tania Clarence being led into Wimbledon Magistrates court under a coat this morning
Pictured: Tania Clarence inside the prison van after she was remanded in custody. She will now appear at the Old Bailey in May
Murder investigation: Investment banker Gary
Clarence flew back to the UK from South Africa after three of his four
children were found dead at home (pictured here with his twin sons)
The court heard how Clarence is charged with three counts of murder, victim one of age or older between April 20 and 23.
Chair of the bench Fiona Abbott said: 'For these three charged, you will be sent to the Central Criminal Court for a preliminary hearing on the May 9'.
Two uniformed police officers stood guard outside the courtroom and the public gallery was packed with press during the short hearing.
Mr Clarence was escorted out of the court by police officers and driven away in a black taxi.
He did not say anything as he walked down the court steps and through a scrum of photographers.
A female police officer stopped traffic to allow Mr Clarence to be driven off quickly.
Heartbroken: Mr Clarence was tearful during the
hearing and did not stop to speak to reporters as he left Wimbledon
Magistrates' Court
In the dock: A security van transporting Tania
Clarence arrives at Wimbledon Magistrates Court, south west London,
where she is due to appear charged with murdering three of her three
children
Mr Clarence was said to be in a ‘state of shock’, and the family’s lawyers in Cape Town yesterday released a statement which spoke of him suffering from ‘tremendous pressure and strain’.
It said: ‘The Clarence family have undergone and suffered an extreme tragedy with regard to their three minor children in the United Kingdom. This matter is an extremely exceptional one, with devastating consequences.’
The couple’s three youngest children suffered from the degenerative condition spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
Mrs Clarence was said to be devoted to the children, giving up her career as a graphic designer to look after them.
The family had spent almost a year renovating their home in New Malden to make it suitable for their disabled children – fitting a lift and ramps.
Probe: Police forensic officers remove items from the home in south-west London where the children died
Paramedics who were called to the house came to lay flowers at the scene in New Malden today
The paramedics were emotional as they paid their respects to the children they had tried to save
'Devastated': The £2million house in New Malden remains a crime scene today as police continue to question Tania Clarence, 42
Homicide investigation: Police were apparently
called to the house after friends had failed to get hold of Mrs Clarence
for 24 hours
And while the couple employed a carer and home help, they did not have round-the-clock assistance.
Support: Businessman Kevin Clarence, Gary Clarence's brother, has accompanied him to London along with their mother and sister
‘Gary is a businessman and had to travel. Tania has borne the brunt of it.
'Everybody who met her could not but be compassionate. Everybody complains about their kids but at least they’re healthy. It puts your life into perspective.’
Another friend said Mrs Clarence had complained that she found social services tended to be ‘judgmental’ when she asked for help.
Officials took the attitude she should ‘get on with it and pull herself together’, they said.
Friends of the family decided to alert the police on Tuesday after they were unable to contact the family for 24 hours.
The children were discovered in their pyjamas in bed and are believed to have been smothered to death.
Mr Clarence, 43, was seeing relatives in his native South Africa with his eldest child Taya Grace, eight – who is not affected by the illness – to celebrate her birthday when he heard about the devastating news.
They both flew to the UK today along with his mother Anne and sister Derri Phillips, who accompanied him for support.
It was unclear last night if he planned to attend his wife’s first appearance at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court today.
Bedroom: A Scotland Yard forensics officer inside a room at the £2million Victorian property
Tributes: Flowers, toys and message have piled up outside the house in south London overnight
'In shock': Mr Clarence was with family at a
home in Bela-Bela in his native South Africa when Scotland Yard called
to inform him that his children had died
Friends said he had been struggling to come to terms with what had happened.
A spokesman for the family told a South African newspaper: ‘Gary is absolutely in a state of shock – the whole family is.
‘He never would have left the UK if he’d known his wife would be left really battling.’
Poignant: Plants, candles and teddies were left outside the house in New Malden yesterday as the community reacted to the deaths
Support: A woman brings flowers to the scene in
New Malden while a card printed with Psalm 23 is stuck to a fence
outside the house
Moved: A policeman lays flowers on behalf of grieving neighbour at the property in Thetford Road, New Malden
Moving: This message was one of many left at the house as the community paid tribute to the children who died
SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY: CHILDREN HAD RARE DISEASE
Spinal
muscular atrophy (SMA) is a disease sometimes called ‘floppy baby
syndrome’ that affects between 5,500 and 6,000 people in the UK.
It causes muscle weakness and progressive loss of movement as the nerve cells connecting the brain and spinal cord to the body’s muscles break down over time.
Muscles used for activities such as crawling, walking, sitting up and moving the head become gradually weaker, but mental abilities remain unaffected.
In the most severe forms of SMA, types I and II, fatal respiratory problems often develop early on and it is the leading cause of genetic death in infants and toddlers.
Depending on its severity, children may need surgery, exercises and equipment to improve mobility and breathing. There is no cure.
SMA is caused by a faulty copy of a gene, which is activated when both parents carry it.
Around one in every 40 to 60 people carry the gene. It can be tested for during pregnancy, although the test can increase the risk of a miscarriage.
Joanna Mitchell, from the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Trust, said: ‘There can be terrible pain and it can be challenging for parents to look after children with the condition.’
It causes muscle weakness and progressive loss of movement as the nerve cells connecting the brain and spinal cord to the body’s muscles break down over time.
Muscles used for activities such as crawling, walking, sitting up and moving the head become gradually weaker, but mental abilities remain unaffected.
In the most severe forms of SMA, types I and II, fatal respiratory problems often develop early on and it is the leading cause of genetic death in infants and toddlers.
Depending on its severity, children may need surgery, exercises and equipment to improve mobility and breathing. There is no cure.
SMA is caused by a faulty copy of a gene, which is activated when both parents carry it.
Around one in every 40 to 60 people carry the gene. It can be tested for during pregnancy, although the test can increase the risk of a miscarriage.
Joanna Mitchell, from the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Trust, said: ‘There can be terrible pain and it can be challenging for parents to look after children with the condition.’
A forensics teams has spent several hours in the house and post mortem examinations will be carried out
A forensics officer enters the property as the murder investigation continued yesterday
Location: The children were found dead in a house in Thetford Road, New Malden, south-west London
Crime scene: Police were at the house yesterday as they pieced together what happened to the children
Grand: The home has been extensively refurbished to make it suitable for the family's disabled children
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