Lillian Alvarado | Homicide Watch DC

Lillian Alvarado to Remain Held at St. Elizabeths Hospital

Imari Williams — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 13:22:27 -0400

For a second time, Lillian Alvarado was found competent to stand trial in connection with the death of her infant son.

Alvarado, 21, is suspected of first-degree murder and one count of cruelty to children for the death of her son, who was never named. On November 28, 2013, police found the newborn floating in a bathroom tub filled with water in a Northwest D.C. apartment.

Thursday marked Alvarado's third mental evaluation. In January, a judge found Alvarado incompetent to stand trial after an initial mental competency hearing. After receiving medication for several mental disorders, she was found competent in May.

According to a July 23 report from the D.C. Department of Behavioral Health, Alvarado was alert and pleasant, and was oriented to time, place and situation during the examination. In the interview, Alvarado expressed difficulties in maintaining a stable mood, but evaluators from St. Elizabeths Hospital said it didn't affect her ability to demonstrate a comprehension of the court proceedings against her and to fully participate in the entire evaluation.

During Thursday's mental observation hearing, defense attorneys told Judge John Ramsey Johnson that they will not challenge that Alvarado is competent, but they asked that Alvarado to remain in St. Elizabeths Hospital until her next scheduled hearing at 10:30 a.m. on September 26.

Lillian Alvarado Found Competent to Stand Trial in Death of Newborn Son

Kristian Hernandez — Fri, 30 May 2014 18:17:16 -0400

Lillian Alvarado was found competent to stand trial for the death of her newborn son, according a May 29 report from the the D.C. Department of Behavioral Health.

During Friday's mental observation hearing, defense attorneys asked Judge John Ramsey Johnson for time to evaluate whether they want to challenge the department's findings and asked for Alvarado to remain in St. Elizabeths Hospital until the next scheduled hearing at 10:00 a.m. on July 24.

Alvarado, 21, is suspected of first-degree murder and one count of cruelty to children in connection with the death of her newborn son, who was found on November 28, 2013, in the bathroom of her apartment in Northwest D.C.

Prosecutors have said Alvarado delivered the nearly full-term baby alive before drowning him, dismembering him, and trying to discard him in the toilet.

Alvarado was first admitted to St. Elizabeths on December 12, 2013, as a civil patient and was found incompetent to stand trial in March, according to the latest mental health report.

Alvarado is currently diagnosed with several mental disorders that are being treated with medication, but an evaluator at St. Elizabeths Hospital said Alvarado does not need to remain hospitalized to remain competent.

Judge John Ramsey Johnson ordered Alvarado to remain at the hospital and ordered a follow up mental observation report before the next scheduled hearing.

A copy of the latest mental observation report is attached below.

Lillian Alvarado Mental Observation Docs (PDF)Lillian Alvarado Mental Observation Docs (Text)

Mother Charged with Newborn's Death Found Mentally Incompetent for Trial

Kristian Hernandez — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 21:03:25 -0500

A judge found Lillian Alvarado incompetent to stand trial for the death of her newborn son after an initial mental competency hearing Wednesday.

Alvarado, 21, will be held at St. Elizabeths psychiatric hospital.

Police arrested Alvarado on Thursday, Jan. 23, after the District's medical examiner determined that her baby was born alive last November, and that Alvarado asphyxiated and dismembered him in a bathtub.

Neighbors who lived below Alvarado's apartment reported water mixed with blood dripping through their ceiling.

Alvarado, who requires a Spanish translator for these hearings, is believed to be undocumented. A recent court document notes she is a widow with one child and is unemployed.

A follow-up mental observation hearing is scheduled for March 21 at 11 a.m.

Mental Health Exam Ordered for Mother Charged with Newborn's Death

Kristian Hernandez — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 21:54:17 -0500

A mental health observation was ordered Friday for a DC woman accused of killing her newborn son in her bathroom last November.

The mother, Lillian Alvarado, appeared in court to be presented with charges of felony murder and cruelty to children. She was ordered held on the charges because of their severity and also because she is an undocumented immigrant.

Prosecutors say police were called to Alvarado's apartment building the morning after Thanksgiving by Alvarado's downstairs neighbors who reported “leaking water mixed with blood” coming through the ceiling of their Brightwood apartment. When police checked the upstairs unit Alvarado, 21, was locked in the bathroom with a newborn floating in a tub filled with water, charging documents state.

The child's legs were later found by crime scene investigators in the toilet.

Autopsy reports determined that the baby had been born alive and that it had died of asphyxia and dismemberment.

In interview with police in November Alvarado told investigators that she knew she was pregnant in April or May of 2013 and was about seven and a half or eight months pregnant when she began experiencing back and stomach pains. She said she took a shower thinking she might have to go to the hospital but that while in the shower she delivered the baby standing in the tub.

She said she grabbed a pair of scissors in the sink and tried to cut the umbilical cord. She said she did not hear the baby cry and she did not noticed if the baby had both arms and legs.

This is the second time this week a mother has been charged with the death of her child. Tisheena Brown was arrested Sunday in connection with the death of her one-month-old son, Hakeem Brown. That child died from a prescription drug overdose.

Attorney Cynthia Wright is the prosecutor for both cases and commented on the Alvarado case saying, “This is a horrific crime of murder where a mother delivered a child that was born alive, cut off his legs, tried to flush them down the toilet and compressed his neck and drowned him.”

Alvarado is due back in court Monday for the results of her mental health observation.

Charging documents have been added to this post.

Lillian Alvarado Charging Docs (PDF)Lillian Alvarado Charging Docs (Text)