A 41-year-old woman, Keziah Macharia, has made an appearance in court in the United Kingdom after she was charged with killing her young son.

Macharia, of Montague Road in Dalston, Hackney, appeared in custody at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning charged with killing her son Kobi Macharia Dooly, four, who was found with fatal knife injuries at a home in London on Wednesday, December 20.

A further appearance has been scheduled for the Old Bailey on December 28. She entered no plea, and remains in custody ahead of her next appearance.

A special post-mortem is scheduled to take place on the same day, the Metropolitan Police said on Friday morning.

Police launched an investigation after they were called to an address in Montague Road at around 10.50pm on Wednesday.

Officers say they were called to the address following what they called ‘concerns for the welfare of a child’.

Detectives say Kobi was found at an address on the street suffering from knife injuries.

Emergency services rushed him to hospital but he later died of his injuries, despite the best efforts of medics.

Neighbours had described Kobi as a ‘happy’ boy often seen playing on his scooter, and told reporters a woman had been seen being led away in pyjamas by police.

One local told the PA news agency a ‘loving family’ lived at the address, adding that officers had to force entry into a top floor flat on the street.

The resident, a 36-year-old hairdresser, said: added: ‘We often saw the boy playing on his scooter. He was happy and energetic. ‘

The Metropolitan Police previously said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack after a woman was arrested.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said: ‘We are working with our partners, including Hackney Council and the school community, to ensure support is there for people who need it.’