After toddler dies, Rashonda Robinson's competency called into question... again

[Dakota Valkyrie]

A Lucas County Common Pleas Court judge will decide whether the 19-year-old mother of a toddler who died Dec. 14 of apparent suffocation is competent to stand trial.

Rashonda Robinson of 15 East Streicher St. is charged with endangering children and involuntary manslaughter. She faces up to 18 years in prison if she's convicted.

During a two-day hearing before Judge Frederick McDonald, several experts testified about Ms. Robinson's level of competency and comprehension. Although they offered differing opinions as to whether she is competent to stand trial, the evaluators agreed that Ms. Robinson was moderately retarded with the cognitive abilities of a 7-year-old.
[...]

Ms. Robinson has once before been found incompetent to stand trial. In September, 2008, she was indicted on unrelated charges of burglary, breaking and entering, assault, and harassment with bodily substance.

The following month, she was declared incompetent to stand trial and Judge Ruth Ann Franks ordered an affidavit filed in Probate Court "alleging that the defendant is a mentally ill or mentally retarded person subject to institutionalization by court order."

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll...NEWS02/5280364

Coverage from December:

A 19-year-old woman has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of her 2-year-old son, hours after neighbors allegedly reported seeing her running outside her North Toledo home with the unconscious child in her arms.
[...]

A witness reported about 1:45 p.m. Monday that a woman was "running around with an unconscious baby" on East Streicher St., according to Lucas County EMS.

She reportedly refused help from neighbors and approached a home on East Streicher at Franklin Avenue before announcing that she intended to walk the child to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center for treatment.

Toledo Police Detective Sgt. Tim Campbell confirmed Monday night that his department was investigating the incident.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs...WS02/912149975

The child's aunt, Tabatha Robinson, says her sister was unfit to care for the toddler. "He didn't deserve to die. Not at all," said Robinson. She is left wondering what happened to her nephew, two-year-old Isiah Robinson.

On Monday afternoon, police responded a 911 call for help with an unresponsive infant. The boy's stepfather (video at link says it's her stepfather) found the toddler's body lying in the grass. Police say Rashonda was frantically asking for help from neighbors before hiding underneath the porch.

Her sister says the 19-year-old suffers from psychological problems and her reaction to the situation was out of fear. "She's just not all there. She's not responsible. She doesn't know, and I don't even think she knows right from wrong," said Tabatha.

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?se...cal&id=7174815

How the hell could the family say she's "not all there" and does not know right from wrong AND leave a toddler in her care? What a sad mess.

[AngelFire]

The baby looks a bit scared in that picture. If waht the family is saying is true, they are partially to blame cause they knew she couldn't care for him on her own.

[Obsolete]

Unless the state steps in and determines someone is incompetent there really isn't much anyone else can do, family or not. She has rights as a parent, you can't MAKE someone accept help from you. If she insists on taking care of the baby on her own that's her right and all the family can do is report her as being unfit and who's to say they didn't?

Her family may have tried every way they knew how to get her help but the law only allows them to do so much.