Woman, 44, is charged with murder of boys, whose bodies were found in a home in east London 

A 44-year-old woman charged with the murder of two young boys who were found dead at a property in east London has been remanded in custody.

Kara Alexander, of Cornwallis Road, Dagenham, appeared at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court today charged with the murder of two children, aged two and five.

She was wearing a grey tracksuit with her hair covering her face as she spoke to confirm her name and date of birth. 

Emergency services were called to an address in Cornwallis Road, Dagenham, east London, at 2pm on December 16 (pictured: police at the scene on Friday afternoon)

Police at the scene on Cornwallis Road on Friday, where the the bodies of two boys, aged two and five were found

A forensic officer handles an evidence bag while investigating the deaths of two young boys in Dagenham on Friday 

Alexander was remanded in custody ahead of a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on December 22.

No details were given during the hearing which lasted less than five minutes.

Emergency services were called to an address in Cornwallis Road, Dagenham at 2pm on Friday, where the bodies of the children were discovered.

Both officers and the London Ambulance Service attended but the children were pronounced dead at the scene. 

Their family have been informed and continue to be supported by specialist officers.

Post-mortem examinations and formal identifications will be arranged in due course.

The property in Dagenham remained cordoned off on Friday night as police continued their investigation 

A team of forensic officers pictured at the scene overnight on Friday December 16

Alexander was arrested on Friday in connection with the incident and was charged on Monday with two counts of murder.

A man earlier arrested in connection with the tragedy was released with no further action over the weekend.

A Met Police spokesman said earlier: ‘An investigation has been launched into the deaths of two children in Dagenham.

‘Emergency services were called at around 1400hrs on Friday, 16 December, to the bodies of two young children found at a residential address in Cornwallis Road, Dagenham.

‘Officers and London Ambulance Service attended the location.

‘They found the bodies of a two-year-old boy and a five-year-old boy, who were both pronounced dead at the scene.

‘Their family have been informed and will be supported by specialist officers.

‘A woman was arrested a short time later in connection with the incident. She was arrested after police were called to a disturbance at a residential address near to the scene.

‘A man was also arrested near to the scene in connection with the incident. Both the man and woman remain in police custody.’

Detective Inspector Sean Treweek said: ‘This is clearly an extremely distressing incident with many unanswered questions, however at this very early stage, nobody else is sought in connection with the deaths.

‘I want to thank local people for the assistance they have given officers as they work to establish the full circumstances of these two tragic deaths.

‘They will see additional officers in the area, and anyone with information or concerns should speak with those officers.’