Father watches as his wife pleads GUILTY to killing their 23-month-old twins who were found dead in their beds after she crashed her car into a lorry
- Samantha Ford, 38, charged with murdering 23 month old twins Jake and Chloe
- Police found the infants at their home in Westwood, near Margate, in Kent
- Ford denied two counts of murder but offered guilty pleas to manslaughter
A mother admitted has killing her twin son and daughter over Christmas but has denied murder, a court heard today.
Samantha Ford, 38, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility after her 23-month-old twins, Jake and Chloe Ford, were found dead in their beds in the early hours of December 27.
Ford was involved in a collision with a lorry at 2:50am on December 27, and when rescuers got to her, she told them to check her home because her babies were there.
Samantha Ford, 38, was charged with murdering 23-month-old twins Jake and Chloe after police found the dying infants at their home in Westwood, near Margate, Kent on December 27
Paramedics tried to save the toddlers but they were taken to hospital and later pronounced dead. Steven Ford, (pictured right) her husband of five years, paid tribute to the twins on social media
When police Mrs Ford's home, in Margate, Kent, at 3:35am, they found the toddlers dead
When police raided her home, in Margate, Kent, at 3:35am, they found the toddlers dead.
Mr Ford took to Twitter to post an image of his two children Jake and Chloe embracing one another. He captioned the image: 'Daddy's twins xx. My beautiful babies. I love you'
Ford, appeared in court wearing a black suit and white shirt she was silent aside from confirming her identity and entering her pleas.
The twins father Steven Ford also attended the hearing today.
Ford denied two counts of murder but offered two guilty pleas to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
Prosecutors will now decide whether her pleas are acceptable.
Ford was remanded in custody and will next appear before the court on 10 June to learn whether her pleas to manslaughter are acceptable.
If the pleas are not accepted a provisional trial date was set for 24 June.
Prosecutor Edward Brown QC said the Crown Prosecution Service had recently received a psychiatric report on Ms Ford.
He said: 'We the prosecution are meeting tomorrow to discuss the contents and the background of this case.
'Certain steps have to be taken and ultimately we are using for the decision to be communicated to my learned friend's instructing solicitors and to the court of course by Wednesday the 5th of June.'
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Mr Ford is pictured with both his twins in an image posted to his Facebook account
Soon after the death of his children, Mr Ford thanks people for their messages of tribute and support
Mrs Ford (left), Mr Ford (pictured right) and the twins posing with Santa at Christmas
The twins were found dead in their beds in the early hours of December 27 after Mrs Ford was involved in a crash on the A299
Devastated neighbours left soft toy tributes outside the home in Margate, Kent
Mr Ford has paid tribute to his young children on a number of occasions on social media
Photos posted on social media showed Ford and her keen golfer husband Steven enjoying days out with the children in the summer last year.
Ford is understood to have moved to the rented house in Margate, Kent after purchasing a home with Steven Ford, her husband of five years, in nearby Ashford 12-months earlier.
Neighbours said the mother had only just moved into the £215,000 property, which was privately rented through a local letting agent.
Mr Ford and seven others attended the hearing. After the killings, he tweeted: 'Daddy's twins xxx my beautiful babies. I love you.'
In a later tweet he said: 'I want the world to see my beautiful babies. Jake and Chloe forever xxx.'
The devastated father also recently took part in an Ultra White Collar boxing contest in Gillingham, and raised more than £3,800.
On the fundraising page, where he was collection for Cancer Research UK, he said: 'My children were everything to me. They were my world. I've decided to take part in this fund raising event to show that it is possible to live life after death.
I made a promise to Jake and Chloe that I'll be the best man that I can be. It starts today. 'Jake and Chloe forever xx'
Ford's grandmother Pamela Emptage, 80, said that the two toddlers were lovely and referenced the fact that they didn't even make their second birthday, also adding that it was 'absolutely tragic'.
Jake and Chloe were found dead at their mum's home in Margate, at about 3.35am on December 27, but pathologists believe they died the day before.
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