Cleveland woman pleads insanity in drowning deaths of daughters

[The Straight Story]

Cleveland woman pleads insanity in drowning deaths of daughters


UPDATED at 1:50 p.m.: CLEVELAND -- A 23-year-old Cleveland woman accused of drowning her two daughters in a bathtub Oct. 1, 2007, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and on Thursday, waived her right to a jury trial.

A jury trial was to begin Tuesday, but Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John D. Sutula, and two other judges to be named, will decide Amber C. Hill's future.

Cuyahoga Country Prosecutor Bill Mason is seeking the death penalty, so, without a jury, a three-judge panel must weigh the evidence. Hill was not offered a plea deal, prosecutor's spokesman Ryan Miday said Sunday.

She is charged with two counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of Cecess Hill, 2, and Jannelle Cintron, 4.

The day of the killings, their father, Jaimie Cintron, 23, told police that Hill called him at work about 12:30 p.m. and said the children were "resting at peace." He raced to the family's apartment in the 7700 block of Woodland Avenue. He found the children motionless in the tub.

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/01/trial_set_for_woman_accused_of.html

Was he insane when he abused her as well? Seems to me people who abuse others generally have some sort of mental issues - which is one of many reasons I hope to God that Obama and crew take mental health care seriously and ensure that if people need help they can get it.

The world does not just become a better place, it gets there by hard work, education, and good health care for all.

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Castillo changes plea back to insanity defense

By Luke Broadwater
Examiner Staff Writer 1/14/09
First, Mark Castillo asserted he was sane and should be punished for drowning his three children in a bathtub at a downtown Baltimore hotel last year.

Then, his attorneys changed his plea to not criminally responsible -- Maryland's version of the insanity defense.

Castillo later objected and tried to proceed to trial, where he said he would formally admit his guilt.

Now, he wants to be considered insane again.

On Tuesday, Castillo, 42, of Rockville, changed his plea for a fourth time -- invoking the not criminally responsible defense for a second time, after previously rejecting it.

http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/local/crime/011409castillo.html

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[ZombieHorde]

1. Mental illness is a serious condition, but child murderers are an obvious threat to the public.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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