Mom accused of killing baby found incompetent to stand trial

Published 9:37 am Wednesday, December 16, 2015

ST. PAUL — A judge has found a St. Paul woman accused of killing her 5-week-old son incompetent to stand trial due to mental illness.

Ramsey County District Judge Diane Alshouse made the ruling Monday based on a court-ordered mental health examination of 22-year-old Shwe Htoo. According to a press release, the judge also ordered Htoo’s case to be suspended until there’s a change in her mental status.

Police said Htoo, who’s charged with second-degree murder, confessed to smothering her son, Michael Kyaw Htoo, on Nov. 18 after initially trying to poison him. A criminal complaint said she then put the infant’s body in her car and crashed it into a light pole in an attempt to kill herself.

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A review hearing is scheduled today on a petition to have Htoo committed as mentally ill.