St. Charles police: Mom of beaten toddler ‘relaxed’ in follow-up interviews
A hearing to suppress statements made by Cathleen Koch, whose nearly 2-year-old daughter was severely beaten in a St. Charles hotel in October 2010, continued this week but might not wrap up until November.
Koch, 29, of Plano, is accused of obstructing the investigation and lying to cover up for her boyfriend, was shaking and crying in her first interview with police on Oct. 27, 2010 but was relatively calm in subsequent interviews with police, a detective testified Monday.
“Other than that she was relaxed,” St. Charles Police Detective Andrew Lamela testified.
Koch’s boyfriend, James C. Cooper, 28, of Elburn is accused of beating Koch’s child and faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. His next court date is Sept. 30.
Molly Koch will turn 3 in November. The Department of Children and Family Services is responsible for her care.
Koch faces up to 30 years in prison as authorities contend she obstructed the investigation by lying and covering for Cooper and is, therefore, just as responsible as Cooper.
Koch’s defense attorney Liz Lovig wants to have all of Koch’s statements to police thrown out of court. She argues that Koch was intimidated by police, in a highly emotional state when questioned and didn’t know that she, too, was a suspect in the case.
The hearing will continue before Judge Timothy Sheldon Thursday. It could then be continued until mid-November because some witnesses are on vacation this week.