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Two court-appointed doctors confirmed today what many have thought for months: Elizabeth Johnson, the mother of missing baby Gabriel Johnson, is incompetent to stand trial.
The doctors made their ruling after conducting extensive psychiatric evaluations of Johnson, sitting in a Maricopa County jail awaiting trial on kidnapping charges in connection with the disappearance of Gabriel.
The doctors’ findings could excuse Johnson from participating in upcoming court proceedings depending on a ruling from Maricopa County Superior Court Commissioner Steven Holding.
Johnson has been in jail since January after she failed to show up to a December custody hearing.
Johnson, police say, disappeared with Gabriel and went to San Antonio, Texas, where the baby was last seen alive.
While on the run, Johnson sent text-messages to the baby’s father, Logan McQueary, saying she had killed the baby and put his body in a dumpster.
She later recanted her claims and said she gave the baby to a random couple she met at a park in San Antonio.
When Johnson was first thrown in jail, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio claimed she was the model inmate but has since changed his tune after Johnson allegedly assaulted other inmates and then refused to eat Joe’s loaf.
The doctors’ findings mean that Johnson can now be medicated by doctors against her will while in the sheriff’s custody.
Johnson is scheduled to appear in court and be reevaluated by doctors again in August.
