Melanie Ochs arrives with her husband, Laurence Tokarski, for a Nov. 17 hearing in Family Court regarding the custody of her children. Ochs is accused of killing "Baby Boy Charles," her 7-month-old foster child. Photo by Gary Thompson.

A woman accused of killing her foster child soon may be granted supervised visits with her two surviving children, whom she has not seen since her arrest two months ago.

Melanie Ochs, who is on house arrest, appeared Thursday in Family Court with her husband, Laurence Tokarski, who has custody of the couple's two young children.

Ochs' attorney, Robert Langford, said a psychologist recently evaluated the children. Langford said the psychologist determined the children have a strong bond with their mother "and that them being away from mom was having a detrimental impact on them psychologically and developmentally."

On Thursday, Hearing Master Frank Sullivan followed a recommendation to allow Ochs visits from 4 to 6 p.m. each day with her children. However, Sullivan said Ochs first must receive the approval of District Judge Nancy Saitta, who is presiding over the murder case filed against Ochs.

Sullivan ordered Ochs not to make morning calls to her children because the calls are too disruptive.

In an interview last month, Ochs said she had not seen her children since her Oct. 5 arrest on a charge of first-degree murder. Ochs said she talks to them daily by telephone.

"We just told them that I had to go on a business trip," she said at the time. "They don't understand."

Her murder trial is scheduled to begin May 14 in District Court. She is accused of killing "Baby Boy Charles," her 7-month-old foster child, who died Aug. 4.

Authorities determined that the infant's death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head that was not accidental.

Ochs said she and her husband cared for 13 foster children, including a boy they adopted, over a three-year period.

Langford expressed concern Thursday that Department of Family Services officials have prepared a case plan that applies to Tokarski, but not one that applies to Ochs.

"It doesn't provide for any way for her to be reunited with her kids," the lawyer said. Sullivan is scheduled to review the Family Court case again on March 8.

Wondering how a local story turned out or what happened to someone in the news? Call the City Desk at 383-0264, and we will try to answer your question in this column.