Mikaeel Kular: Mother Charged With His Murder

The mother of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular has been charged with his murder during an appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

She is also charged with attempting to defeat the ends of justice and has been remanded in custody.

Rosdeep Adekoya made no plea or declaration in response to the charges.

Her next date in court is expected to be January 28 and, like today's hearing, it will also be held in private.

The 33-year-old had told police her son was missing from their family home in Ferry Gait Crescent, Edinburgh, last Thursday morning.

Mikaeel's body was later found by police in an area of woodland in Kirkcaldy, in neighbouring Fife, shortly before midnight on Friday.

The discovery followed a major investigation and extensive day-and-night search for the boy in north Edinburgh involving police and hundreds of local residents and volunteers.

Members of the public also made more than 500 calls to a dedicated phone line set up in the wake of Mikaeel's disappearance.

Police Scotland confirmed on Saturday that a 33-year-old woman had been arrested and charged in connection with the boy's death - but the full details of the charge were not known until today.

A memorial service took place on Saturday night at Edinburgh's St Andrew's Muirhouse Parish Church, attended by more than 500 members of the local community.

Meanwhile, there have been several arrests over suspected offensive tweets in relation to Mikaeel's disappearance.

Derbyshire Police arrested a 26-year-old man, while Hampshire Police said a 19-year-old man had been bailed on suspicion of posting a racially offensive comment.

"We are investigating the message to assess whether any criminal offences have been committed," said a spokesman for Hampshire Police.

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