Dead infants in Winnipeg: Andrea Giesbrecht makes 1st court appearance

AndreaGiesbrechtsat silent andexpressionlessas she made her first court appearance via video feed from thewomen's jailin connection withthe six dead infants found in a Winnipeg storage locker.

Giesbrecht, wearing a grey sweatshirt and track pants,sathunched overat times, hands in her lap, as her lawyer,GregBrodsky,addressedthe court on Thursday.

Brodsky, who noted there will be six autopsies on the remains found Monday afternoon, said he doesn't think it's fair the Crown will controlthe evidence from them. He wants the court to appoint an independent pathologist to oversee the autopsies.

Brodsky also wants the autopsies to be filmed. An autopsy is an interference with evidence, he said, noting hewants someone independent to watch and ensure it's done right.

"As good as people are, sometimes you miss things and sometimes another set of eyes, if you're acting appropriately, is not a bad thing to have. And all I'm asking for is another set of eyes," he said.

The judge said he needs time to consider Brodsky's request and will need to set acourt date to hear arguments for it.

The Crown attorney then noted, for the record, that the provincialmedical examiner's pathologists are independent.

Prior to adjourning the hearing, the judgeadvisedGiesbrecht, 40,that her next court date is Nov.12, butGiesbrechthad no response.

Brodsky repeated the date to her but there was still no response, still no expression before she got up to leave the correctional centre room where she was on the live feed.

Giesbrecht is charged with six counts of concealing bodies of infants after the remains were found in a U-Haul storage locker in Winnipeg's West Alexander neighbourhood.

U-Haul employees made the grim discovery when they went in to clearoutthe locker because rental payments had not been made.

Police initially said they believed there were three or four bodies found in various states of decomposition, but they later increased that to six.

The autopsieson the remains will determine the cause of death, gender and ages. The forensic examination andDNA analysis will also help determine whetherGiesbrechtis the mother to any or all of the babies.

Giesbrechthas also been charged withbreach of probation in connection with court orders stemming fromtwo fraud convictions in 2012.