Posted at 6:01 p.m., Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Judge orders Big Island teen accused of baby death held at hospital
Associated Press
KAILUA-KONA — A judge today ordered a Big Island teenager accused of killing her infant son to remain in custody at a Honolulu hospital pending a mental evaluation.Family Court Judge Aley Auna Jr. ordered the 16-year-old girl to remain in the care of the state at The Queen's Medical Center.
The teen, who has not been publicly identified, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder following the Oct. 12 death of her 4-month-old son. Police responded to a call of an accidental stabbing and found the infant in a bedroom, nearly decapitated.
The child's mother was the only other person in the Kona Highlands home at the time, police said. The infant's father had returned to the mainland to find work.
An autopsy revealed the cause of death was traumatic injury to the neck. Results of further laboratory tests are expected to be complete in four to six weeks.
Auna said at today's hearing that a mental evaluation of the teenager is expected to be complete by week's end, with a report likely finished by the end of next week.
That report will determine the next step in the case.
Prosecutors have indicated they will seek to try the teen as an adult. A second-degree murder conviction carries a possible life sentence with the possibility of parole.
If the young mother is tried as a juvenile, any sentence would be much lighter.
Prosecutors and public defender Peter Bresciani declined comment following the hearing.
As is standard in juvenile cases, another hearing is set in seven days. The judge ordered the teen's mother to attend that hearing.
