ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County woman accused of letting her son suffer for days after he was beaten by her boyfriend was in court Tuesday asking for a new lawyer.
Victoria Toth’s previous lawyer quit after Toth’s last court appearance. On Tuesday, a judge appointed her a public defender after Toth said she couldn’t afford to provide representation of her own.
Prosecutors say more than a year ago, Toth let her 2-year-old son, Jayce Martin, suffer and die after being beaten by her boyfriend, Johnathan Pursglove.
The medical examiner called what the little boy went through "torture."
[ READ: 'Officers are comparing me to Casey Anthony,' mom of boy in 'torture case' told parents ]
Pursglove is in jail also facing charges related to the boy’s death.
The young mother's been caught on tape during jail phone calls claiming the ghost of Jayce speaks to her.
"I talk to Jayce and he tells me that this is something that I, that we are supposed to go through,” she said.
[ READ: Records: Mother of toddler in 'torture case' Googled son's symptoms before his death ]
In court on Tuesday, she had a message for the Channel 9 camera, making eye contact with the lens and raising her middle finger while the judge was in the room.
Her trial is set to start in October.
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