Is day care driver accused of leaving 3-year-old boy to die in hot van competent to stand trial?

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — It’s still not clear if the woman accused in the death of a three-year-old boy left in a hot day care van will be competent to stand trial.

Deborah St. Charles’ attorneys questioned Friday whether she was fit to stand trial, angering the family of the little boy. The state attorney’s doctors are evaluating St. Charles.

Download the free WFTV News & Weather apps

Myles Hill died in August 2017 after he was left for nearly 12 hours in a van parked outside Little Miracles Daycare, investigators said.

According to investigators, temperatures inside the van reached more than 100 degrees. Deborah St. Charles was the driver of the van and admitted she was distracted after she thought she dropped off all the children, investigators said.

The staff didn’t know he was missing until it was too late.

Video: OPD evidence shows why child, 3, couldn't escape hot van before death

St. Charles faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child.

St. Charles was in court Friday, wiping away tears as attorneys and the judge discussed her competency.

Read: Insurance company argues it isn't liable for hot van death of 3-year-old boy

Members of Hill’s family said they didn’t know St. Charles was released from jail.

“It’s been over a year,” said Hill’s grandmother, Brenda Watts. “It seemed like it’s just been yesterday, and you have to go through this every day and it’s still hurting inside.”

%

%%

%

In January, a judge agreed to release St. Charles on her own recognizance and reduced her bail from $30,000 to $2,500. She was also ordered not to have contact with children under the age of 18.

At the time, a friend agreed to let St. Charles stay with her at a home in Apopka, but the Department of Children and Families had to do a home visit and approve the request because two children live in the home.

Read more: Bail reduced for woman involved in Orange County toddler's day care van death

Cox Media Group