Mother incompetent for trial in child's death, judge rules

Mother incompetent for trial in child's death, judge rules

(Eli Lucero)


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LOGAN — A judge said Monday that a northern Utah woman is not competent to stand trial on charges of murder in the death of her disabled 2-year-old son.

Heidi Rutchey had to be removed from a courtroom after screaming she would be killed inside jail and claiming she had information for the FBI on the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Herald Journal reported.

That was before her case came up for discussion. When Rutchey was allowed to return, she objected to the judge's ruling and insisted she was mentally competent.

Rutchey was sent to the Utah State Hospital, where doctors will try to restore her competency.

Court records show the 42-year-old woman tried to kill herself with pills and told staffers at a Logan hospital she was a "baby killer" who had suffocated her son, Eli, in a bathtub.

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