An Idaho judge has ruled Lori Vallow Daybell is mentally unfit to stand trial and committed her to a psychiatric facility for up to 90 days.
Lori Vallow Daybell has been committed by a judge to a mental health facility for treatment. Meanwhile, her husband, Chad Daybell, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder charges in connection with the disappearance and death of his wife's two children.
Idaho District Judge Steven Boyce's order sends the woman into the care of the state's Department of Health and Welfare to undergo treatment designed to restore her mental competency, which was called into question earlier this year.
“The court finds that the Defendant does lack (the) capacity to make informed decisions about treatment,” Boyce wrote. "The court finds that the defendant is not dangerously mentally ill.” Under the order, she is confined to treatment for up to 90 days.
Her trial has been paused while she receives mental health assistance.
In May, Lori and her husband, Chad Daybell, were charged with first-degree murder for the deaths of Lori’s children from two previous marriages — Tylee Ryan, 17, and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow. Chad Daybell was also charged with murdering his first wife, Tammy Daybell.
Days later, Lori Vallow Daybell was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial.
Chad Daybell pleaded not guilty Wednesday during a brief court hearing to all felony charges against him, including insurance fraud and the murder counts for the two children and his former wife.
The bodies of Tylee and JJ were found buried on Chad Daybell’s property in Idaho last June. Lori Daybell had been previously charged with concealing evidence in their deaths. She denies any wrongdoing.
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