Lake County man accused of locking daughter in basement found fit to stand trial
A Waukegan man accused of locking his 10-year-old daughter in his home's basement because he believed she was demonically possessed is mentally fit to stand trial, authorities said.
Randy Swopes, 48, will return to Lake County to potentially stand trial on child endangerment and unlawful restraint charges, as a result of the finding by the Illinois Department of Public Health. He's scheduled to appear in court Jan. 15 for a hearing in which his attorneys can either accept or challenge the fitness determination.
Swopes previously was deemed unfit to stand trial during a rare "fitness trial" in December. The proceeding included testimony from a psychologist who said Swopes believed current and former United States presidents and other politicians sneaked into his house at night and sexually assaulted him and his family as they slept.
After the one-day trial, Swopes was transferred to a department of public health facility until he was mentally fit for trial. Under state law, a person is mentally unfit if they cannot understand the court proceedings or assist in his or her defense.
Swopes and his wife, Katherine, were charged July 17 after police learned the girl was forced to live in their Liberty Street home's basement because her parents believed she was "possessed by a demon," authorities said.
In a subsequent court appearance, Randy Swopes claimed Lake County judges and lawyers were part of rituals that involved drinking blood and sexually assaulting children. He admitted during the rant that he previously spent time in a psychiatric health facility.
Katherine Swopes, 49, is free on a $25,000 signature bond. HAs part of her conditions of release, she is under a 24-hour curfew, prohibited from having drugs or alcohol and may not have contact with her husband, the victim or her three other children, ages 7, 13 and 15.