A 51-year-old man has appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court this morning, charged with murdering his 79-year-old mother.

Marcus Kauffman is accused of fatally stabbing his mother, Jan Kauffman, in her home in Canberra’s inner north yesterday morning.

Mr Kauffman’s father was also injured in the attack, and was taken to hospital in stable condition.

The incident occurred at the elderly couple’s Dryandra Street property in O’Connor yesterday morning.

Police said Ms Kauffman was treated for critical injuries at the scene but died while being transported to hospital.

Her 51-year-old son was held in police custody overnight after being arrested at the home.

He made a brief appearance in court this morning, where no application was made for bail.

An application for a hospital-based mental health assessment was denied by the court, with Magistrate James Lawton saying that treatment could be carried out while the accused remained in custody in jail.

Police told the media yesterday that they were still searching the property and its surrounds for a weapon.