A woman accused of fatally stabbing members of her family after being denied psychiatric medication because of Scientology beliefs will apply to be released into a locked hospital ward.
The 25-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is in the psychiatric unit at Long Bay prison hospital.
She was arrested at the family’s home at Revesby on July 5, where her father, 53, and her 15-year-old sister were stabbed to death.
– Justice Anderson, Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia, quoted atWhat judges have to say about Scientology
Her 52-year-old mother, who also was stabbed, raised the alarm after collapsing on a neighbour’s driveway.
The 25-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with a psychotic illness late last year, and has been treated as an involuntary psychiatric patient at Bankstown hospital, was allegedly denied access to medication by her parents because of their belief in Scientology.
Her barrister, John Stratton, applied in Burwood Local Court today for an adjournment, to prepare an application for bail.
“(The woman) is currently detained in a psychiatric ward of the prison hospital at Long Bay,” Mr Stratton told the court.
“It is anticipated that the application will be that she reside in a locked unit at Bunya in Cumberland Hospital.”
Bunya is a specialist treatment unit for female forensic patients.
The woman’s treating psychiatrist will be called in support of her application.
Magistrate Jane Mottley agreed to the adjournment and ordered the balance of the brief to be served by November 19.
Material yet to be served includes post-mortem toxicology reports for both victims, crime scene reports, fingerprint evidence and police statements, as well as reports from doctors treating both the woman and her mother.
The bail application for the woman, who is charged with two counts of murder and one count of malicious wounding, will be heard in the same court on October 15.