Mom charged with killing Waywayseecappo First Nation toddler appears in court

The woman accused in the death of her toddler in WaywayseecappoFirst Nation, Man., last year made her first court appearance in a Brandon courtroom Thursday morning.

The 36-year-oldwas arrested by RCMP on Tuesday and charged with second-degree murder in the death of her two-year-old son.

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Wearinga grey sweatshirt, shewas led into a Brandon courtroomby sheriff's officers. She appeared emotionless as lawyers spoke about the case, only nodding her head when asked by the judge whether she understood she couldn't have contact with any witnesses in the case.

A publication ban was also grantedin order to protect the identities ofwitnessesin the case.

A Queen's Bench judge is expected to hear a bail application by the woman at a later date.

RCMPwere called to the First Nation on Jan. 31, 2015, to help the DakotaOjibwayPolice Service investigate the boy's death.

The boy's uncletold CBC News at the time that he had bumped his head while rough-housing with his sister. The next morning, the child did not wake upand the family called police, they said.He was later pronounced dead at a Winnipeg hospital.

In an interview that airedFeb. 4, 2015, the boy's mother said she was upset thatthree of her other children wereapprehended by Child and Family Services hours after her son died.

Waywayseecappo is about 280 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg and 115 kilometres northwest of Brandon in western Manitoba.