Mother of twins charged with murder

The mother of seven-month-old twins has been charged with their murder.
Rita Ariyaratnam, 30, was charged by detectives with two counts of murder during a
bedside hearing in Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) on Friday, police spokesman Greg
Lambert said.
"Major crime squad have today interviewed and charged the 30-year-old mother with
two charges of murder," Sergeant Lambert said.
The twins, Sophie and Lachlan, were found unconscious alongside their mother on
Monday at the family's Cloverdale house, in Perth's east.
The children's father Selvin Ariyaratnam found the trio when he arrived home but the
twins were pronounced dead on arrival at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Ms Ariyaratnam was hospitalised and awoke from a coma on Thursday afternoon at RPH.
A RPH spokeswoman said on Thursday she had moved from the intensive care unit to a
general ward after her condition stabilised after earlier being in a critical
condition.
Post-mortems have been conducted on the twins.
Major crime squad detectives were called to the couple's house at the end of a
cul-de-sac in Flintlock Street at about 3.30pm (WST) on Monday.