ROCKVILLE, Md. — A Clarksburg mother has again been found not competent to stand trial. Catherine Hoggle is accused of murdering her two young children, Sarah and Jacob, who were 2 and 3 years old when they disappeared.
Since her arrest, Hoggle has been undergoing psychiatric treatment for schizophrenia.
Initially, police charged Hoggle with neglect — this year, the charges against her were upgraded to murder.
Until Hoggle is found competent, Ramon Korionoff with the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s office said the murder charges against her will remain since there is not statute of limitations for them.
“This process will be ongoing until she is ready to stand trial for these charges,” Korionoff said,
Hoggle’s attorney David Felsen said it is unclear what the future holds, but he does feel the court believe his client’s treatment could lead to her becoming competent to stand trial. The court may have the final say on competency, but Felsen said any decisions will be based on what doctors treating Hoggle at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center in Jessup, Maryland, find in their reports.
“Competency is really a medical determination; the finding at the end of the day is a legal one, but based on the medical findings of the doctors,” Felsen said.
Hoggle has been the focus of investigators because she was the last one seen with the children in 2014. The children have never been found.
Felsen wouldn’t speak on Hoggle’s treatment but said for others in similar situations who have criminal charges awaiting them, they have no choice but to abide by the treatment plan laid out by doctors.
“There are steps that can be taken in order to force them to comply,” Felsen said.
Hoggle will undergo another hearing on her competency in November of 2018.
