A judge has sent Adele Sorella for a 30-day psychiatric evaluation at the Pinel Institute because her lawyer is not certain she understands the charges against her.
Sorella, 43, is charged with two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of her two daughters, Sabrina, 8, and Amanda, 9.
The lifeless bodies of the girls were found by police on Tuesday around 4 p.m. after concerned family members called 911. Police say the bodies of the girls showed no signs of violence, and suspect they were poisoned. A toxicology report is expected in the coming days.
After the bodies were found, police began the search for Sorella. They found her around 3 a.m. Wednesday when she drove her car into a pole not far from the house in Laval.
Not saying much
Apart from saying she fell asleep at the wheel before crashing her car into a pole Sorella was not giving very many answers to police.
"She could not or she would not," said Nathalie Lorrain, with the Laval Police. "She would understand the questions of the detectives. She would acknowledge that she understood those questions, but she did not want to answer at all."
She was taken to hospital and sedated heavily. She was released Wednesday afternoon, and was taken straight to the Laval Police head quarters.
Eary on Thursday, investigators were still meeting with the prosecutor to determine the charges. She had retained a lawyer.
Sorella appeared in court around 2:30 p.m. Thursday to face two charges of first degree murder.
About the family
Police say Sorella has tried to kill herself twice before.
Her husband and the father of the deceased girls is Giuseppe De Vito, who has been missing since 2006. He is alleged to be a member of the mafia; he went missing after a mafia bust in Ontario and Quebec.
