AUGUSTA — A woman accused of killing her infant at Fort Eisenhower after sending alarming text messages to her husband has pleaded not guilty.
April Evalyn Short, 30, entered the not guilty plea May 6 to charges of premeditated murder and felony murder. It comes days after a magistrate recommended she be deemed competent to stand trial.
The episode unfolded Nov. 15 at Fort Eisenhower, an Army base near Augusta, that formerly was named Fort Gordon.
According to court documents, she locked herself in a bedroom with her three children and sent a text message to her husband that said "the days of darkness are upon us." An hour later, authorities captured her as she tried to flee the residence with two of the children.
Her 11-month-old son was found bleeding from the neck and wrapped in plastic on a bathroom floor. He died at a nearby hospital.
One of her children told investigators that Short had two knives and told them she was helping the infant get "to God and Jesus," a court filing said.
After Short's arrest, her attorney and federal prosecutors asked for her to undergo a mental evaluation to determine whether she is competent to stand trial.
After a two-month evaluation at Federal Medical Center Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas, a competency hearing happened April 30.
While Short "exhibited worrisome symptoms of psychosis" when she arrived at the facility, "she stabilized once she began regularly taking psychiatric medications," according to a report Federal Magistrate Brian K. Epps issued May 2.
Once medicated, she understood the allegations, her rights and how the court process worked. "There was no evidence of cognitive impairment during this interview," Dr. Macy Wilson wrote in a report cited by the judge.
After reading Wilson's report and listening to her during a hearing, Epps said Short was competent to stand trial as she understood the proceedings against her and could assist in her own defense. Epps' recommendation now goes to Chief United States District Judge J. Randal Hall to decide.
If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP or a provider of your choice. Residents of Aiken or Barnwell counties may call the Aiken-Barnwell Mental Health Center at 803-641-7700 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays or the after-hours crisis line at 833-364-2274.
