A mother has pleaded not guilty to murdering her two young sons whose bodies were found by their father when he forced his way into her home.
Kara Alexander, 45, is charged over the deaths of Marley Thomas, five, and Elijah Thomas, two.
The brothers were last seen alive on the afternoon of December 15 last year.
The father went to the address in Dagenham, east London, the next day where Alexander told him the children were upstairs sleeping, but when he went to check he found them dead.
Police and ambulance crews were called to the scene and the two children were declared dead.
Kara Alexander, 45, is accused of murdering her two young children, aged two and five, in December
The bodies of Marley Thomas (right) and Elijah Thomas (left) were found by their father
The defendant was allegedly found in a nearby garden, and detained by police.
On Thursday, Alexander appeared at the Old Bailey for a plea hearing before Judge Richard Marks KC.
Prosecutor Philip Evans, KC, earlier said: 'The children were last seen alive by CCTV footage together with the defendant late in the afternoon of 15 December.
'On 16 December at around 2pm police were called because the children's father was concerned for their welfare.
'He had gone into the house, having forced his way in, he was told the children were upstairs asleep.
'But when he went to find them he discovered they were obviously deceased and cold to the touch.
'He called 999 and an ambulance attended and found the children deceased.
'Post mortem results have not yet been obtained, but it is understood initial subtle findings indicate the normal mechanics of breathing had been interfered with, which could include smothering and drowning.'
She denied two charges of murder on or before December 16 last year.
Alexander, who is in custody, is due to stand trial at the Old Bailey from July 10.
The judge set a further pre-trial hearing for May 18.
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