News
Step-Mother Ruled Competent To Stand Trial
By: Steffany Hiett
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The prosecution of an Athens County woman accused of murdering her 4-year-old step-daughter moves forward following a competency hearing Tuesday morning.
Twenty-five-year old Ashley Young, of The Plains, was previously found not competent to stand trial in October.
However, Judge Michael Ward ruled Young competent.
Young was charged with murder last May after Kaylen Young died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Young is also charged with child endangering, tampering with evidence and attempted aggravated possession of drugs.
Back in October, Sheriff Pat Kelly said Young could become competent after counseling and treatment.
Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn says the ruling of Young now being competent means a trial could take place later this summer.
"This opens up the opportunity for the defense to file any other motions like possibly not guilty by reason of insanity or motions to suppress," says Blackburn. "I would expect one of those motions to come first and that's to proceed to a trial schedule sometime in August or September."
Blackburn says the next step is to hold another pretrial hearing.