The mother of the man accused of stabbing his baby daughter to death in her bed said she was frightened by her son's psychiatric problems, according to reports Tuesday.
Police said little after interviewing the mother of 18-month old Alessia, who was stabbed to death Sunday afternoon in what authorities say was a fit of madness on the part of Luca Giustini, 34.
Brunella Michelini, mother of the accused, said her son "was ill for some time, depressed and crying".
She said Giustini visited her shortly before the stabbing and she feared he was considering suicide.
"We prayed together, it was as if I was saying goodbye," said Michelini.
Police interviewed the mother of the victim, Sara Bedini, but did not release any information.
Giustini has a history of psychological problems and was sent Monday for further psychiatric testing, police said.
They say a fit of madness may be the explanation after Giustini, a train driver, allegedly attacked the baby with a kitchen knife in their home on Italy's eastern coast in a suburb of Ancona.
The baby was in a cradle at home alone with her father at about 2 p.m. on Sunday, while the mother was at work as a nurse.
Giustini reportedly telephoned his wife after the stabbing to say "I screwed up".
According to police, Giustini was too distraught to be interrogated on Monday and could not even remain seated.
They said the man has no record of violence.
His employer, Trenitalia, on Monday called Giustini, who was hired in 2004, an employee that was "beyond reproach", and presented no sign of psychological disturbance during routine drug and alcohol check-ups. However, grave psychiatric disturbances "don't emerge out of the blue," criminal psychiatrist and professor Francesco Bruno told ANSA.
Severely disturbed people "may not talk about their condition, but those who live with them know something is wrong".
Giustini has been remanded to a psychiatric hospital, where he is reportedly in a catatonic state under 24-hour police watch. Prosecutors are weighing charges of aggravated murder, pending a psychiatric evaluation.
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