Mother charged with murdering children is in court

A woman charged with murdering her three children was remanded in custody today when she appeared in a court building in person for the first time.

An assessment order committing Theresa Riggi, 46, to hospital was revoked at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, where a private hearing took place.

Eight-year-old twins Austin and Luke Riggi and their five-year-old sister Cecilia were found dead in a townhouse in Slateford Road, Edinburgh, on August 4.

Their American mother faced the murder charges during a specially-convened court hearing at Edinburgh's Royal Infirmary (ERI) last month.

She had been receiving treatment at the hospital after she was discovered badly injured on the same day the children were found dead.

On that occasion she made no plea or declaration and was fully committed to hospital under an assessment order.

Today's hearing reviewed the assessment order and revoked it.

A Crown Office spokesman said: "Theresa Riggi appeared in private at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today for a review of the Assessment Order made on August 24 under Section 52D of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

"Today, the court revoked this order and Mrs Riggi has been remanded in custody. No further dates have been set."