Lisa Batstone, the woman charged with second-degree murder of her daughter Teagan,was described as being in a "very fragile state" by her lawyer.

She will be given a full psychiatric assessment before her next court appearance on Jan. 5.

Batstone was crying as she stood in the prisoner's box in court on Thursday morning. Her parents were present, and she held eye contact with them.

Speaking to media after the hearing, her lawyer, Craig Sicotte said she is "in a very fragile state", and that there is no indication she was not a loving mother.

He said the psychiatric evaluation is needed to determine whether she is mentally fit to stand trial.

She was arrested in Surrey, B.C. last week after her eight-year-old daughter's body was discovered in the trunk of her car.

At a court appearance last week, the 41-year-old woman was visibly distraught.

At the time, Sicotte said his client's case was adjourned so that she could be seen by a psychiatrist and a general practitioner​.

According to friends there had been indicators about Batstone's deteriorating mental health and her former husband said she had made a suicide attempt in the past.