Mother who drowned her 2 kids found not guilty by reason of insanity
By KOVR Staff
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YUBA COUNTY, California (KOVR) — A Yuba County mother who drowned her kids in a bathtub last spring was found not guilty by reason of insanity, prosecutors said Friday.
The Yuba County District Attorney’s Office said county Superior Court Judge Benjamin Wirtschafter signed an order Wednesday committing Courtney Williams, 26, to a state hospital.
Williams was arrested on April 7, 2022, after sheriff’s deputies responded to the home and found her two-year-old and five-month-old dead in a bathtub inside the Linda home where she lived with her husband and children.
Williams has remained in custody since her arrest and was charged with the murder of both children.
According to the district attorney’s office, Williams, last July 20, changed her plea from not guilty to a dual plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.
Two doctors, one chosen by each the prosecution and the defense, were appointed to evaluate Williiams’ mental state. The doctors acknowledged Williams was battling postpartum depression and psychosis and concluded she was insane at the time she drowned her children.
On January 12, Williams again changed her plea, this time admitting she killed her children but was still pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Judge Wirtschafter reviewed the doctors’ reports on Williams and accepted the new plea, finding her not guilty by reason of insanity that same day.
The district attorney’s office said Williams can apply for release from the state hospital once medical professionals determine that her sanity has been restored and the court finds she is not a danger to others.
“It’s clear Courtney Williams was suffering from serious mental health issues and didn’t receive the help she so desperately needed, and it’s heartbreaking that her children had to pay the ultimate price,” Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry said in a statement.
For resources on postpartum depression, visit Postpartum Support International or call 1 (800) 944-4773.
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