Insanity Plea in Child Death Case

Andrea Faust, 41, is accused of murder and attempted murder in the Feb. 12 deaths of her young sons at their Durham home. Her defense attorney has indicated that Faust will plead not guilty by reason of insanity and diminished capacity. Faust has been undergoing treatment at Central Regional Hospital in Butner since April to restore her capacity to stand trial.

While doctors at the hospital recently deemed Faust competent to proceed, a subsequent psychological evaluation by a forensic psychiatrist raised new concerns. This evaluation concluded that Faust was suffering from a "defect of reason from disease of the mind" and could not determine right from wrong at the time of the alleged crimes. Her next court date is tentatively scheduled for October, and she remains hospitalized.