THE mother of tragic hospital death baby Abby Watts appeared in court today charged with the murder of her 14-month-old disabled daughter.

Julie Helen Watts, a 29-year-old former psychiatric nurse, was granted conditional bail after a short hearing at Salford Magistrates Court.

The case was adjourned until March 13. Mrs Watts, of Baronfold Crescent, Little Hulton, broke down in tears during her 10 minute court appearance when she was charged with murdering her daughter between July 27 and August 1 last year. She was granted bail on condition that she live at an address not given to the court, report to the nearest police station once a week, and be available for medical or psychiatric examination. No plea was entered by Mrs Watts who appeared in the dock at the number one court and reporting restrictions were not lifted. Abby, who was born with a rare skull disorder, died in the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital on August 1.

Police were called in by the Coroner after hospital staff reported suspicions that a tube enabling little Abby to breath had been tampered with, and an alarm which should have alerted the nursing staff failed to activate. Abby was eventually found in a distressed state but died five days later after suffering as massive cardiac arrest.

She had been in and out of hospital all her short life but defied medical experts with her will to survive despite the odds stacked against her. Abby was described by the medical profession as the most handicapped child in Britain - a "girl in a billion." Her courage and will to survive was highlighted in the BEN only weeks before her death. Detectives probing the tragedy interviewed more than 80 witnesses - including hospital staff at the top children's hospital - in a two-month long police investigation. The police file was then handed to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mrs Watts was arrested at her home last night after CPS lawyers had spent three months studying the file on the case.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.