A competency test was ordered earlier today when 33-year-old Tiffany Farrauto made her first appearance in court via video on charges of murder, risk of injury to a minor and criminal mischief. Judge Shari Murphy ordered her held on $2 million bond.
The Washington Times reports that she has been placed under suicide and mental health watches.
During the video hearing, Farrauto's public defender, Aimee Mahon told the judge that her client has mental health problems that "contributed to the incident." It was Murphy that ordered the competency evaluation.
At 6:27 am officers with the New London Police Department responded to a disturbance call in the parking lot of an apartment complex where a woman was reportedly beating a vehicle with a bat.
Officers arrived on the scene to find that the woman had already left and spoke with the vehicle owner. While they were speaking, the woman returned and informed officers that she had strangled her son.
Police immediately gained entry to her apartment to perform a well-being check. Inside, the found the boy "unconscious and unresponsive." They immediately began CPR while awaiting the arrival of the emergency medical responders despite the fact that he was "cyanotic."
Paramedics transported the child to Lawrence & Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased shortly after his arrival.
Anyone with information relevant to the investigation is asked to contact the New London Police Department's detective bureau at (860) 447-1481. Those wishing to remain anonymous may do so by texting the New London Tips 411 system at Tip411 (847411).
The boy's name has not been released by officials yet as they are working to notify the paternal family.
The investigation is ongoing and Farrauto is due back in court on March 22.