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Judge orders full hearing in Orlando day care van death

Deborah St. Charles charged with manslaughter in Myles Hills' death

ORLANDO, Fla. – A competency hearing was held Thursday for a former day care worker who is accused of leaving a toddler in a hot van, resulting in his death.

Deborah St. Charles, 52, was charged with aggravated manslaughter in the Aug. 7 death of 3-year-old Myles Hill.

The state said Thursday that a doctor determined that St. Charles is competent to stand trial, but the defense said it has a couple doctors who believe differently. 

The judge ordered a full hearing on the issue before making a final ruling, but a date has not yet been set.

Investigators said St. Charles left Myles inside a van parked at the Little Miracles Academy. His body was found after being trapped inside the vehicle for more than 11 hours, according to officials.

A medical examiner ruled that Hill died of hypothermia due to environment exposure. His death was ruled an accident.

After St. Charles' arrest, her competency was called into question by the defense. According to court records, St. Charles underwent a mental health evaluation in May, and in June a judge appointed experts to determine her sanity.

 


About the Author
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Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014, but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer. While most people are fast asleep in their bed, Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida.

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