Accused murderer Marissa Shephard's mother charged with theft

Accused murderer Marissa Shephard's mother is in custody and being sent to Restigouche Hospital Centre in Campbellton for a mental health assessment after being accused of stealing cigarettes and threatening an employee at an Irving in Moncton on Nov. 20.

Marissa Shephard is accused of killing 18-year-old Baylee Wylie in December of last year in what has been described as a brutal, violent death.

• Devin Morningstar, 19, guilty of 1st-degree murder of Moncton teen Baylee Wylie

• Marissa Shephard, accused in murder of Baylee Wylie, 'could be anywhere'

Christine Helene Carson made a brief appearance in a Moncton courtroom on Wednesday. She wore a grey sweatshirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, while glancing nervously around the courtroom. Carson was almost unrecognizable from her latest picture posted to Facebook earlier this month. 

Carson was scheduled for a bail hearing but the defence and Crown prosecutor both agreed she should be sent for a mental health assessment at the Restigouche Hospital Centre. While there, it will be determined if she is mentally fit to stand trial, and whether or not she can be held criminally responsible for her actions.

The 50-year-old woman is accused of robbery and threatening an employee at the Irving Oil Gas station on Mountain Road, saying she had a gun in her pocket and stealing cigarettes.

Carson is the mother of 21-year-old Marissa Shephard, a Moncton woman accused of murdering Wylie. Late last year, Shephard was the subject of a Canada-Wide warrant, running from police for more than two months before being arrested at a Moncton hotel.

Devin Morningstar, 19, was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Wylie and arson on Nov. 11. Tyler Noel is scheduled to stand trial for the same charges in October 2017.

Carson is remanded until a bail hearing scheduled for Dec.21.