Judge denies trial postponement for mother charged in daughter's death

PEKIN -- A judge has ruled that a former Morton pathologist accused of suffocating her 3-year-old autistic daughter with a garbage bag will go to trial next month.

Karen McCarron, 38, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of obstructing justice and one count of concealment of a homicidal death in the May 13, 2006, death of her daughter Katherine.

Judge Stephen Kouri ruled that McCarron should not receive a sixth new trial date. Kouri denied requests from both prosecutors and the defense to put off McCarron's current Dec. 3 trial date to Jan. 28.

Kouri wrote in a decision that his reasons for denial were stall tactics from the defense and five postponements.

"It is apparent that the defendant's legal team is no closer to presenting her affirmative defense of insanity than they were at the start of or any time during this case." Kouri wrote. "It is further apparent that any deadline suggested by (McCarron's) attorney is at best hollow, and at worst an intentional misrepresentation to the court."

McCarron is free on $1 million bond.