A young mother has been accused of wilfully neglecting and ill-treating her two-year-old son before his death in 2014.

Former model Amanda Hardie, who now lives in East Kilbride but was living in a flat in Inverness at the time, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court on Tuesday to deny the indictment.

The lengthy charge against Hardie, 30, was raised under the Children and Young Persons Act whereby she had parental responsibility for her son Clyde.

How Clyde died in February 2014 is still unexplained despite extensive tests. His death certificate recorded the cause as "sudden unexpected death in childhood".

It is alleged that between those dates Hardie ill-treated, neglected, abandoned and exposed her child to unnecessary suffering and left him for prolonged periods, particularly during the hours of darkness, unattended and without adult supervision.

It is also alleged that she failed to provide him with adequate food and fluids, caused him to be exposed to electrical fire and chemical hazards and allowed her home to become dirty and strewn with domestic, human and animal waste.

The charge adds that Hardie "failed to bathe and clothe him adequately, allowed his clothing to become dirty and malodorous and failed to change his nappy".

A further hearing was set for February 12 by sheriff Margaret Neilson. Trial was also fixed for March 21.