The lawyer representing the Massachusetts woman arrested after the discovery of three dead bodies of infants at her home said he was hopeful that the forensic tests will show the babies were stillborn.
Erika Murray, 31, was charged Friday with child endangerment and concealing fetal deaths during her arraignment in the Uxbridge District Court. Investigators had found the bodies of infants in her rat-infested home in Blackstone. Before that, investigators rescued her four children, ages 6 months to 13 years.
Murray's attorney Keith Halpern told The Associated Press that he also expects DNA testing to show that Murray and her long-time boyfriend were the parents of the infants.
"I ... am eager to see whether the forensic testing confirms that in fact the children that are deceased ... were never born alive," Halpern said. This would mean that Murray did not kill the babies.
Halpern said he spent several hours before and after the arraignment talking to Murray. He was of the opinion that she has some sort of mental disorder, reports the Boston Herald. He said that Murray was afraid of giving birth because her boyfriend did not want more children.
According to a state investigator, Murray's two rescued younger children showed signs of severe neglect. He said the 3-year-old had poor muscle tone and cannot walk, while the baby showed signs of being sunlight deprived.
He said that Murray loved her children and spent hours with them inside the house, even as she allowed the two older children to attend public schools and meet with friends away from home.
"As hard as this is to fathom given the allegations, she is completely attached to these children, including the two younger children," Halpern said.
