Cork mother pleads guilty to manslaughter of eight-year-old son

A Cork woman has pleaded guilty to killing her eight-year-old son at their home in Charleville 18 months ago.

Diane Ward will be sentenced on Tuesday next week after psychiatric evidence has been supplied.

Ms Ward was arraigned this morning on a charge of murdering her eight-year-old son Anthony at Harrison's Place in Charleville on September 3, 2012.

He was her only son.

She replied not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.

Prosecution barrister Timothy O'Leary told the court that her plea was acceptable to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

At the time of Anthony's death, the autopsy results concluded that he had been suffocated.

He was discovered at his home by a relative on the day he had been due to start a new term at school.

Diane Ward was arrested and charged days after his death.