Mother won’t stand trial in child’s death

Thursday, April 8, 2004 | 9:44 a.m.

North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Stephen Dahl ruled Wednesday that a Las Vegas mother charged with murder by child abuse in the death of her 8-month-old son is incompetent to stand trial.

Dahl bound Maria Hermojillo-Dellamas, 28, over to District Court Wednesday after two psychologists found the mother to be mentally unable to stand trial.

Hermojillo-Dellamas waived her preliminary hearing to undergo psychological treatment Wednesday, Deputy Public Defender Nancy Lemcke said. Hermojillo-Dellamas will officially be referred to Lakes Crossing, the state facility for mentally disordered offenders, in Sparks by District Judge Joseph Bonaventure when she comes before him April 21.

Lemcke said the woman would remain at Lakes Crossing until she is able to assist with her defense in a trial, at which point she would re-enter the judicial system.

Hermojillo-Dellamas' infant son, Heliberto Landeros, was found dead in a North Las Vegas home March 13. North Las Vegas police said they charged Hermojillo-Dellamas in the death because of inconsistencies in her story as to how the baby died as well as suspicious injuries found on the baby during the autopsy.

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