'Cult mom' Lori Vallow committed to mental health facility for 90 days before murder trial
Lori Vallow, who has been indicted for the death of her children, won't stand trial just yet. An Idaho judge on June 9 ordered Vallow to be committed to a mental health facility, but added that she "is not dangerously mentally ill." As a result, Vallow will be committed for no more than 90 days, with progress reports marking if she is fit to stand trial.
Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell were indicted last month on a slew of charges, including murder, for killing their children. Daybell on June 9 pleaded not guilty to all nine charges brought against him. The bizarre case dates back to 2018 when the couple first began espousing their apocalyptic system of religious belief. They then murdered her two children and fled before their children's bodies were found in June 2020. Reportedly, Lori believed her daughter Tammy was possessed by a spirit.
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The court ruled that she was mentally incompetent to stand trial, putting the criminal proceedings on the backburner on May 27. Now, the judge has ruled she will be remanded into the custody of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for "restorative treatment".
State has 90 days
The Idaho District Court ruled that she will be remanded for no more than 90 days. She will be evaluated at the beginning, and periodically throughout the period. The progress reports will also include updates on whether she is competent to stand trial. "The court finds that the Defendant does lack (the) capacity to make informed decisions about treatment," the judge, Steven Boyce wrote.
Vallow will be evaluated at the end of the 90 day period, and if found to be competent, will stand trial. If she is still found unable to stand trial, then she will receive treatment for a further 180 days before criminal proceedings continue. Special Prosecutor Rob Wood dropped his objection to the court's ruling that Vallow was unfit to stand trial on Monday, June 7. Wood had earlier filed to contest those findings, and a hearing for the same was scheduled for June 16. Prosecutors filed to withdraw that motion on June 7, paving the way for Vallow to be treated.
It is unclear as of now which facility she will be taken to.
So far the duo is facing charges only for the killing of Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow. The murders of several of Vallow's ex-husbands and a brother are still unsolved. Once she has been cleared by the state, Vallow will return to stand trial for the large number of charges filed against her. Those include resisting or obstructing officers, criminal solicitation to commit a crime, contempt of court, and conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration, or concealment of evidence.
Court documents show that Vallow believed she was "a reincarnated God" and formed a cult "Preparing A People" with Daybell. Details of the cult, that have caught national attention, first came to light in divorce papers filed by Vallow's ex-husband Charles Vallow, who was shot dead by her brother Alex Cox in July 2019.