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STEUBENVILLE -- Melissa Barnes, the Steubenville mother whose severely malnourished and dehydrated 2-year-old son was found dead in his crib in August, has been ruled incompetent to stand trial, at least for now.
Barnes, 35, and her live-in boyfriend, Kayin A. Franklin, 28, were indicted separately on felony chargers of murder, involuntary manslaughter and two counts of child endangerment in connection with the Aug. 14 death of Barnes' son, Aiden Oxley.
Aiden Oxley's body was discovered face down in his crib. Officers at the scene had said in court documents the boy was naked and his crib was covered in what appeared to be dried feces. The temperature in the room that day reached around 97 degrees, police had said.
The couple told police they'd walked to the store with their week-old daughter, leaving Aiden at home alone.
"The experts seem to think (Barnes) can be restored to competency," Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane Hanlin said. "Once she is, we will be able to proceed to a trial."
Barnes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the charges.