Aminat Magomadova's body was found in the family's Fay Road home in February 2007. (CBC)

A Calgary mother on trial for second-degree murder told a police officer that she strangled her teenaged daughter to death with a scarf.

Aset Magomadova, 39, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of her daughter Aminat. The teenager's body was found in the family's Fay Road home in southeast Calgary in February 2007.

Magomadova has pleaded not guilty. Her trial began Monday.

Defence lawyer Mark Tyndale said outside court that he will argue his client killed her daughter in self-defence.

"If we are able to bring evidence of prior acts of violence, or evidence of a propensity toward violence by the deceased, then we can show it was more likely [the daughter] who started the fight, that she … was the aggressor," he said.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Magomadova and her troubled 14-year-old daughter got into an argument in front of the girl's brother and aunt. The mother and daughter took the fight into a sewing room. Neither called out for help, and the mother later emerged to announce that her daughter was dead.

Magomadova made several long-distance phone calls to Europe with a calling card before dialling 911.

When police came, Magomadova gave an officer a scarf and explained that she had strangled her daughter. Police later found a small paring knife and a larger kitchen knife in the sewing room, but there was no blood, fingerprints or female DNA on either knife.

An autopsy of the teen's body concluded she was strangled to death by an object and there were no traces of drugs or alcohol in her body.

Troubled teen attacked teacher

Magomadova, who lost a foot in an explosion and uses a crutch, came to Canada from war-torn Chechnya in 2004 with her children and her sister.

Aminat was a troubled teenager, according to the statement of facts. "She was being teased at school about her poor English, her weight and her manner of dress," it reads.

Police officers, health care and social workers, and probation officers seemed to be a part of the family's new life in Calgary.

In October 2006, the teenager pleaded guilty to assaulting her teacher, who later described the attack as "personally and professionally disturbing," according to the statement of facts. The teacher said Aminat acted "like a predator" and "maintained direct eye contact with her during the assault, disturbing her to such a degree she had difficulty sleeping and described the experience as 'terrifying,' " the statement says.

By February 2007, Aminat was habitually running away from home and boasting about using drugs, having sexual partners and stealing. She often stayed at youth shelters. Police came to the home several times, once after Aminat used a hammer to break a window and door in her room and other items in the house.

Magomadova told one health care worker that her daughter was a disgrace to the family and would be the only girl in Chechnya acting that way. She admitted throwing things at her daughter during at least one argument. Aminat told the same health care worker that she exchanged "favours" with males for drugs.

The trial, which will be heard by judge alone in a Calgary courtroom, is scheduled to last four weeks.

Magomadova has a translator by her side for her trial. She was freed on bail in March 2007.