The Oxnard woman accused of killing her two newborn infants more than a decade apart has been declared incompetent to stand trial, according to Ventura County Superior Court Records.
After reviewing the appointed psychologist’s evaluation report, a judge determined May 7 that Marisol Flores is unable to understand court proceedings or assist in her own defense, court records show. Both the prosecution and defense accepted the doctor’s report.
The 30-year-old was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of assault on a child causing death and has not entered a plea, according to court records.
On Feb. 8, emergency personnel responded to a homeless encampment in the 2400 block of E. Vineyard Avenue in Oxnard and pronounced Flores’ newborn infant deceased at the scene, noting a suspicious injury, according to the Oxnard Police Department. The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office pronounced the infant’s cause of death as sharp force injury to the head and manner of death as homicide.
After Flores was arrested Feb. 9, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office reopened a previous investigation into the November 2015 death of Flores’ 25-day-old baby.
Criminal proceedings were suspended Feb. 27, when Flores’ defense attorney, Rebekah Mathis, declared doubt about her client’s mental competency.
On March 10, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office filed additional charges against Flores related to the 2015 death of her infant.
Flores will return to court June 4, when mental health services provider MHM Services of California will recommend which facility she should receive treatment at.
Until then, Flores will remain in custody at Todd Road Jail with bail set at $500,000.
Defendants return to court to face charges when they are restored to competence at a mental health facility.
If convicted, Flores could be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the DA’s office.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard woman accused of killing two infants found mentally incompetent
Reporting by Makena Huey, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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