A Perth woman has pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing her eight-week-old daughter.
Melanie Anne Pears, 30, entered the plea when she appeared in the Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court this morning via video link from a secure unit at the Graylands psychiatric hospital.
Her lawyer Bill Harris told the court that despite his client being ill at the time of the baby's death in January this year, "she accepts that her omissions were of such a nature to amount to criminal negligence".
"That makes her responsible," he said.
The manslaughter charge was then put to Pears, who wiped away tears as she admitted the offence.
Previous court hearings were told that the baby, who was born prematurely in November last year, was malnourished and had multiple injuries including skull and rib fractures when she was found at a house in Saint James.
The baby's father, Tony Paraha, 50, was also charged with manslaughter.
He is yet to enter a plea and his case was adjourned until next month.
Pears was remanded in custody until she faces a sentencing hearing in the Supreme Court in July.
She also admitted a charge of assaulting a police officer who had attended the family's house in Saint James at the time of the baby's death.
A psychiatric report will be prepared on Pears for the sentencing hearing.