SKOWHEGAN — A judge ruled Thursday that the 11-year-old girl charged with manslaughter in connection with a baby’s death in Fairfield last year is not competent to stand trial at this time.

However, the judge left open the possibility that the girl will be competent in the future.

In a ruling released on Friday in Skowhegan District Court, Judge Charles LaVerdiere said he concluded that “at this time, the State has not met its burden of demonstrating that the Juvenile is competent to proceed under the standard established by the Maine Juvenile Code.”

LaVerdiere emphasized “at this time” in his ruling.

“Nevertheless, the Court further concludes that there is a substantial probability that the Juvenile will be competent in the foreseeable future,” LaVerdiere continued. “Accordingly, the Court orders that the proceedings on the juvenile petition shall remain suspended and the Court refers the Juvenile to the Commissioner of Health and Human Services for evaluation and treatment of the mental health and behavioral needs identified in the State Forensic Service examiner’s report.”

The State Forensic Service will examine the girl and send a report to the judge within 60 days for future proceedings, he said.

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The girl from Fairfield, who the Bangor Daily News is not naming because she is a juvenile, was charged with manslaughter last year in connection with the death of 3-month-old Brooklyn Foss Greenaway. The baby was in the care of the mother of the girl on July 8, 2012, the day of the infant’s death.

The girl is charged with reckless or criminally negligent manslaughter.

Nicole Greenaway of Waterville, the baby’s mother, said in August that a toxicology report revealed that medicine for attention deficit disorder was found in Brooklyn’s system. She said it’s the same medicine prescribed to the daughter of the baby sitter. There also were bruises on the baby’s face from when she was suffocated, allegedly by the girl, according to Greenaway.

competency hearing to determine if the girl, who was 10 at the time of the baby’s death, is capable of understanding court proceedings was held at Skowhegan District Court earlier this month.


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