A woman indicted for murder yesterday in the stabbing death of her 88-year-old mother has a "20-year history of mental illness and is out of touch with reality," her defense attorney said.

Claudia Warner-Gonzales, 61, was indicted on a charge of second-degree murder and is being held at at O'ahu Community Correctional Center in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Warner-Gonzales allegedly admitted to police that she killed her mother, Dorothy Stribling, at Stribling's Nu'uanu home Monday morning.

"I stabbed my mom. Forgive me, I stabbed her," Warner-Gonzales told officers, according to court documents.

Defense lawyer Samuel King Jr. said he expected the indictment by the Oahu grand jury and will ask the court to appoint a panel of three mental health experts to determine her fitness to stand trial.

King waived Warner-Gonzales' initial appearance in District Court on Wednesday, saying she wouldn't understand the legal proceedings.

"I've been monitoring her care at OCCC. They have a good medical unit there," King said.

Stribling's son, Sam Warner, who was in the Nu'uanu home when Stribling was attacked, told police he heard a scream and found his sister standing over the victim. He said he removed a 9-inch knife that was lodged in their mother's left shoulder and placed it in the kitchen sink, a police affidavit said.

Stribling died at The Queen's Medical Center. According to an autopsy report, she bled to death from a stab wound to the chest.