A 23-year-old woman has confessed in the ACT Magistrates Court to killing her mother in Canberra's north-west on Friday night.

Gabrielle Woutersz was arrested overnight and charged with the murder of her mother, 56-year-old Norma Cheryl Woutersz.

Officers were called to the home in Dexion Place at Dunlop about 5:40pm (AEDT) on Friday where they found the woman's body.

A crime scene was set up, some road closures were put in place, and forensic services were called in to examine the area.

Woutersz appeared in court on Saturday morning, barefoot and still wearing her pyjamas.

She refused representation from her defence lawyer and told Magistrate Karen Fryar she had committed the crime.

"I 100 per cent did the murder," she told the court.

Despite cautionary remarks from the magistrate she continued, "I killed Cheryl Woutersz, I don't need a lawyer to represent me, I'm pleading guilty".

Two other young women in the court, believed to be Woutersz's friends, gasped at the comment and began crying.

Her defence lawyer and the Director of Public Prosecution discussed options for a mental health assessment and discussed information indicating Woutersz may have bipolar disorder.

As Magistrate Fryar attempted to set down a date for another hearing, Woutersz laughed at her and insisted she did not need to reappear because she was guilty.

She was remanded in custody and is due to reappear before the court on Tuesday.

Police have not released any further information about how her mother died.