Woman accused of trying to kill her baby sent to hospital for mental evaluation
Photo by Nick Ianniello Sherri Renee Telnas starts to cry at her initial appearance in District Court in Superior Wednesday.
A Missoula woman, who is accused of trying to drown her baby, has been taken to the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs for a mental evaluation after her court appearance Wednesday.
Sherri Renee Telnas, 34, appeared in Mineral County District Court in Superior with her court-appointed attorney Ed Sheehy Wednesday to face attempted deliberate homicide charges for allegedly trying to drown her 10-month-old son, Jackson.
Sheehy filed a motion to send Telnas to the Montana State Hospital and said he felt she was not competent enough to enter a plea in the case.
“Based on the knowledge I have about this alleged offense, I am very concerned with her mental state at the time,” Sheehy added.
Mineral County Attorney Shaun Donovan allowed the motion to pass unopposed and Judge Douglas G. Harkin ordered Telnas to undergo up to 60 days of treatment at the Montana State Hospital and set bail at $100,000.
Telnas brimmed with tears when the judge informed her that she would not be allowed to see her child without a court order.
Sheehy said that Telnas is disturbed that she is not allowed to see her baby.
According to an order for transport, the mental health professionals at the Montana State Hospital will submit a report to the court that outlines the nature of Telnas’ examination, a diagnosis of her mental condition, and their opinion as to whether or not she suffers from a mental disorder and whether or not she has the state of mind to be charged.
According to a complaint filed by Donovan, Telnas immersed herself and her 10-month-old son in a river near Superior before taking him to the Mineral County Community Hospital for treatment April 16.
The complaint said that after being picked up by Mineral County Sheriff Hugh Hopwood and Undersheriff Mike Johnson, Telnas was taken in for questioning. During questioning, Telnas told Johnson that she was told to drown her child by “bad thoughts or voices.”
According to Donovan, Telnas’ car has been impounded and is being searched for evidence as to where she allegedly tried to drown her child. He said Hopwood has been out searching the riverbanks looking for evidence of the incident.
The car is a black 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier. Donovan said anyone who saw a car fitting that description near the river on Wednesday should contact the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office with that information.
If convicted, Telnas faces the death penalty or life in prison.