St. Paul woman now found competent to stand trial in daughter's murder

A St. Paul woman at first found incompetent to stand trial for allegedly drowning her 6-year-old daughter was re-evaluated and has been found competent to proceed with the case.

A 16-page report dated July 2 found Kayla M. Jones, 25, competent to stand trial, Ramsey County District Judge Elena Ostby said at a hearing Thursday.

In January, Jones had been found incompetent to face one count of second-degree murder in the death of Azaria Jones, who was drowned in the family's bathtub on Dec. 23, 2014.

Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Yasmin Mullings said after the hearing that Jones was re-evaluated as a matter of course. She said the objective at the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter, where Jones is being held, is to re-establish a patient's competency.

"That's always the goal," Mullings said.

Jones' attorney, Lisa Hallberg, did not contest the latest findings.

Jones appeared in court Thursday in a standard-issue orange jumpsuit. At a hearing in January, she had worn a protective green vest.

"She ain't crazy," Thurmond said. "It's about time for her to stand trial for the murder she did."

Police arrested Jones after responding to her apartment in the 1300 block of Maynard Avenue E. about 8:10 a.m. last December. She allegedly told police that she held Azaria face down in the tub for "like a minute or two" as the girl thrashed and kicked.

Jones told police that she believed her daughter had been sexually assaulted, and that she killed the girl after hearing a voice say, "Save the child …," according to the complaint filed against her.

Jones also allegedly said she had been molested as a child.

In a separate mental health case in civil court, a doctor wrote that Jones has "psychotic disorder, not otherwise specified; provisional diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type."

Mullings said that the civil matter should not have a direct impact on the criminal case.

Jones is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 31 for an omnibus hearing in the criminal case.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708