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By Neal Earley @neal_earley
ROCKVILLE — Catherine Hoggle, the mother of two children who went missing four years ago, is still not competent to stand trial.
Hoggle appeared in court Friday for another status hearing on her case, as Montgomery County Circuit Judge Robert A. Greenberg ordered another status hearing for March 6, 2019 to determine whether or not she is competent to stand trial.
Last year on Sept. 14, 2017, a grand jury indicted Hoggle on two counts of murder for her missing children who have not been seen since they were left in her care in 2014. Since her arrest, doctors have determined that Hoggle has not been competent to stand trial after they diagnosed her with schizophrenia and paranoia.
Since then Hoggle has undergone mental health treatment at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital in Jessup, with doctors determining on multiple occasions she is not competent to stand trial.
“I say we do another status [hearing] in 90 days and see where we are at that time,” Judge Greenberg said.
While doctors have continually deemed Hoggle not competent to stand trial, in their report to the court they said they believe there is a chance that treatment could work and improve Hoggle’s mental well-being enough for her to stand trial according to Judge Greenberg.
Hoggle was originally charged with misdemeanors relating to the disappearance of her two children, but state law allows a defendant who mental health professionals deem not competent to stand trial only three years to become competent before the court could drop the charges.
However, last year, a grand jury indicted Hoggle on murder charges, giving the state an additional five years since the more recent charges are considered “crimes of violence.”
