Aurora woman found unfit for trial in infant son's death
A 24-year-old Aurora woman charged with killing her 6-month-old son in June by slamming him against a piece of furniture has been ruled unfit to stand trial.
Trivea S. Jones, of the 2100 block of Fox Pointe Drive, was ordered Thursday to be sent to the state's Department of Human Services for an unspecified mental disability for up to a year after attorneys stipulated to a psychologist's report.
Police responded to Jones' residence on June 21 for a report of a baby that had stopped breathing.
Jones, who was alone in the residence, told authorities her son had stopped breathing while she was feeding him. But the hospital staff noted the infant had severe trauma, including a fractured skull, police said.
The baby was flown to a trauma center in Chicago and died days later.
Jones later admitted to slamming the child against a piece of furniture and leaving him unconscious on the floor before asking a neighbor to call 911, police said.
Aurora police at the time said they had not been called to Jones' residence for any complaints of abuse.
Elisa Lancaster, a psychologist at the Kane County Diagnostic Center, concluded in an Oct. 30 evaluation that Jones suffers from a mental disability and is not fit to stand trial, according to Kane Court records.
Additional information about her mental condition was not available as evaluation reports are confidential and sealed.
Prosecutors and Jones' public defender stipulated to Lancaster's evaluation, which states "there is a substantial probability that the defendant, if provided with a course of treatment, will attain fitness within one year," according to court records.
Judge Kathryn Karayannis ordered Jones, who had been held at Kane County jail on $2.5 million bail since her June arrest, to a Department of Humans Services facility for up to a year for inpatient treatment, records show.
If restored to fitness and convicted of first-degree murder, Jones faces a prison sentence of 20 to 60 years.
If she cannot be restored to fitness, she could be held by the department indefinitely.