A Toronto woman charged after the body of a seven-year-old girl was found in an apartment over the weekend made a brief court appearance Monday.

Donna Irving, 29, the legal guardian of Katelynn Sampson, was remanded for a bail hearing on Aug. 15.

Irving was charged with second-degree murder after paramedics responded to a 911 call and found the girl's body in the west-end apartment Sunday.

According to paramedics, Irving said at the time that the child had choked on some food. But they said it appeared she had been dead for some time. Police later said there were obvious signs of trauma on the child's body.

Homicide detectives investigated before laying charges Sunday afternoon.

Emotional court appearance

Katelynn's mother, Bernise Sampson, told reporters that she had left the girl in Irving's care while she sorted out some personal problems.

Irving had been a close friend for more than 10 years, she said.

Sampson was among dozens of people, including family members, who attended Irving's court appearance Monday.

"Why did she kill mine, why did she kill hers," the 45-year-old woman said to reporters before leaving the courtroom.

The death is Toronto's 39th homicide this year.

Police are also investigating two other murders over the Civic Holiday weekend.

On Sunday morning, a man in his mid-40s was found stabbed to death in the hallway of an east-end apartment. Police are searching for two known suspects.

In the other case, an autopsy is set for Monday on the body of a 54-year-old woman found in a back alley in the downtown area early Saturday.

Police said she had suffered heavy trauma to the head.