GRANTS PASS, Ore. — The woman accused of throwing her 6-year-old autistic son off a bridge on the Oregon Coast has yet to enter a plea, and defense attorneys have indicated they want the court to determine if she is fit to stand trial.
Jillian Meredeth McCabe was arraigned Monday in Newport on an indictment in the death of her son, London, at the Yaquina Bay Bridge.
The indictment charges her with aggravated murder, murder, and two counts of manslaughter. The aggravated murder charge carries a potential death penalty, and was brought because the victim was under 14 years old. One manslaughter charge alleges extreme indifference to human life. The other alleges recklessness.
McCabe is scheduled to return to court Nov. 20. Court documents indicate defense attorneys plan to file a motion for a determination of fitness to proceed.
An uncle has said she received psychiatric treatment for emotional distress from years of caring for the child, and more recently for her disabled husband, who has not been able to work at his business doing email campaigns since coming down with multiple sclerosis and a mass on his brainstem last summer. After an Internet appeal for financial help failed to reach its goal, the family left their home in Hood River and moved in with Matt McCabe’s parents in Seal Rock south of Newport.
Defense attorneys and District Attorney Michelle Branham did not immediately return telephone calls for comment.
McCabe, 34, is being held without bail.
She was arrested Nov. 3 after telephoning 911 and telling the dispatcher she had just dropped her son off the bridge, which rises more than 100 feet above the bay. His body was found several hours later at a marina about a mile from the bridge.
Hundreds of people attended a candlelight vigil for the boy Saturday night underneath the bridge.
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