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http://www.macombdaily.com/general-...er-of-deceased-child-did-as-well-as-she-could
Alexie, 24, is due in court Wednesday on felony murder and first-degree child abuse charges... Steven Kaplan, Alexie’s court-appointed attorney, said Tuesday he believes his client is competent to stand trial and assist in her defense. Kaplan said he will not request she undergo a competency exam.
But whether she bears criminal responsibility is a separate issue that will be addressed later in the case, Kaplan added. After meeting with Alexie, Kaplan said he’s confident that while the baby may have died because it was neglected, his client did not knowingly harm the child.
Alexie, Kaplan said, suffers from “severe, chronic depression,” possessed a “a dearth of parenting skills” and lacked strong family support. “We expect the evidence to show she cared for the child as best she could,” Kaplan said.