Woodbury woman accused in murder, assault of children to undergo second psych evaluation

Mary Divine, Pioneer Press
·1 min read
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A Washington County judge on Monday ordered that a Woodbury mother accused of fatally attacking her 5-year-old daughter and assaulting her 6-year-old son in the street outside their townhouse undergo another psychological evaluation.

Sadiyo Mohamed, 32, was charged with second-degree murder after her daughter died from injuries sustained in the May 26, 2021 attack.

After a mental-health evaluation last fall, the court determined Mohamed was incompetent due to mental illness and suspended the court proceedings.

On Monday, Nick Hydukovich, criminal division head for the Washington County Attorney’s Office, asked Washington County District Court Judge Doug Meslow to authorize an additional evaluation for Mohamed, saying it was needed because a second psychiatrist had reviewed Ms. Mohamed’s first evaluation and had raised concerns. The psychiatrist, Andrea Lovett, said it was possible Mohamed “might not have a mental-illness defense available to her,” Hydukovich said.

Meslow granted the state’s request for the exam, known as a Rule 20.02, which involves a psychiatrist providing an opinion about whether the defendant qualifies for a mental-illness defense.

Chris Grove, Mohamed’s attorney, argued prosecutors could have had an “examiner of their choosing … observe the examination and conduct an examination at that time. In a sense, this has some appearance of ‘doctor shopping.’”

Mohamed, who is committed at the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter, appeared via video at the hearing, which was held via Zoom, but did not speak.

An omnibus hearing in the case has been scheduled for Nov. 18. No trial date has been set.

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