German woman charged over killing toddlers

Tag : Tool For Children
Stockholm - Despite a lack of DNA evidence, a prosecutor Wednesdaysaid she was confident in gaining a conviction against a Germanwoman who was extradited to Sweden on suspicion of beating twoyoung children to death with a hammer. The woman - a 32-year-oldstudent - was Wednesday formally charged with murder and attemptedmurder at the district court in Vasteras.
Prosecutor Frieda Gummesson said the woman had used a hammer orsimilar tool to repeatedly hit the children, aged one and three,and their mother, who survived with injuries.
Gummesson later told reporters that there was no DNA evidencelinking the German woman to the crime scene and the implement usedin the crime remained missing.
"The main portion of the case rests on witness statements,"Gummesson said, adding there was forensic evidence including shoeprints and surveillance camera footage from Arboga railway stationand Skavsta airport, south of Stockholm.
In order to build her case, Gummesson will summon 56 witnesses.
The March 17 attack in the small town of Arboga "was planned," andthe German woman - who denied the charges - had not been able tooffer "plausible explanations" of why she visited Arboga at thetime of the crime, Gummesson said.
The motive appeared to be that the German woman refused to acceptthat her former partner had begun a new relationship with themother of the children, the prosecutor said.
In a taped police interview, the German woman said she went to theArboga to visit the site of an ancient runestone.
Evidence included lists of telephone calls, e-mails and notes fromthe German woman's computer as well as a map of the neighbourhoodthat was found in her possession.
Gummesson said the 23-year-old mother will be asked to testify.
The German woman has been held in Vasteras, 100 kilometres west ofStockholm, since she was extradited to Sweden at end of April. Thetrial is due to open next week at the district court in Koping,near Vasteras.