The woman charged with drugging her young son and setting the car he was in on fire is being held without bond and awaiting a diagnostic mental evaluation.
Narges Shafeirad, 33, was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree arson after she allegedly forced her five-year-old son, Daniel Dana, to drink a bottle of medicine before she set the car he was in on fire.
Police believe Daniel was dead before the fire began.
Charges against Shafeirad brought an end to a mysterious investigation over what happened in the June 16 incident. Police found Shafeirad face down outside the burning car on Sam Eig Highway in Gaithersburg. She had second- and third-degree burns on 40 percent of her body.
Police noticed Daniel on the floorboard of the locked Toyota Corolla that was engulfed in flames. They could not get to him in time.
Shafeirad was set to appear in court the day of the fire for a hearing regarding the bitter divorce and custody battle in which she was engaged with her husband.
