TOMBALL, TX – A woman who confessed to brutally killing her five-year-old daughter because she thought she was evil will not stand trial for her crime because prosecutors found her incompetent to stand trial.
The ruling means the woman will spend however long is necessary in a mental institution until she is deemed fit to stand trial.
In 2022, Melissa Towne walked into a hospital and informed a nurse that her daughter, Nichole Bradshaw-Towne, was in the car and her body was hurting. Towne allegedly asked a nurse for a wheelchair for Nichole.
According to detectives investigating the case, the nurse who went out to the car to help the daughter found Nichole partially wrapped in plastic and mesh bags.
Detectives interviewed Towne who allegedly confessed to slitting her daughter’s throat in an attempt to kill her. When that did not work, she allegedly admitted to placing a bag over her face so she would suffocate. Detectives estimate it took almost an hour for the young girl to die.
Now, instead of Towne facing a criminal trial for her alleged crime, she has been deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial after being evaluated by an expert. Harris County prosecutors reported they examined two factors to conclude she was not mentally competent, whether she understood the charges against her, and if she could communicate with her attorney.
The answer to both questions were “no” according to Gilbert Sawtelle, the Chief Prosecutor of Child Fatality. Although the ruling means that Towne was transferred from a Harris County jail to a mental institution, Sawtelle noted that does not mean she will not eventually face trial.
He said:
“It was found by the psychologist that she was restorable. So, if she gets the treatment and is restored, then we’ll be right back here like any other case.”
Sawtelle noted if Towne is eventually ruled competent to stand trial, there is a possibility that her attorney will attempt to defend her with an insanity plea. She could be found not guilty due to insanity which would be determined by her state of mind when the crime occurred.
Sawtelle notes if Towne were to be found not guilty because of insanity, it does not necessarily mean that she will walk free. He said she would be held in a high-security facility for whatever amount of time a judge deems necessary.
Regardless of the situation, Sawtelle said that he was working hard to get the little girl justice.
He said:
“Ultimately, I don’t know what’s going to happen – I just want justice to be done and everyone to be informed about the process as we go along.”
This incident is not the first time Towne has been involved with authorities. As reported by KHOU11, CPS in Harris County had “red flags” as far back as 2017 when Nichole was a baby. KHOU reported ten days before Towne allegedly killed Nichole, CPS had been notified that she was potentially in danger.
After Nichole’s death, CPS issued the following statement:
“Child Protective Services is investigating this tragic death alongside law enforcement. The child’s mother, Melissa Towne, does have a prior history with CPS, but specific details of CPS investigations are confidential according to law. Ms. Towne has three additional children ranging in age from 2 years old to 18 years old who are safe and have been living with other family members.”
The ruling means the woman will spend however long is necessary in a mental institution until she is deemed fit to stand trial.
In 2022, Melissa Towne walked into a hospital and informed a nurse that her daughter, Nichole Bradshaw-Towne, was in the car and her body was hurting. Towne allegedly asked a nurse for a wheelchair for Nichole.
According to detectives investigating the case, the nurse who went out to the car to help the daughter found Nichole partially wrapped in plastic and mesh bags.
Detectives interviewed Towne who allegedly confessed to slitting her daughter’s throat in an attempt to kill her. When that did not work, she allegedly admitted to placing a bag over her face so she would suffocate. Detectives estimate it took almost an hour for the young girl to die.
Now, instead of Towne facing a criminal trial for her alleged crime, she has been deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial after being evaluated by an expert. Harris County prosecutors reported they examined two factors to conclude she was not mentally competent, whether she understood the charges against her, and if she could communicate with her attorney.
The answer to both questions were “no” according to Gilbert Sawtelle, the Chief Prosecutor of Child Fatality. Although the ruling means that Towne was transferred from a Harris County jail to a mental institution, Sawtelle noted that does not mean she will not eventually face trial.
He said:
“It was found by the psychologist that she was restorable. So, if she gets the treatment and is restored, then we’ll be right back here like any other case.”
Sawtelle noted if Towne is eventually ruled competent to stand trial, there is a possibility that her attorney will attempt to defend her with an insanity plea. She could be found not guilty due to insanity which would be determined by her state of mind when the crime occurred.
Sawtelle notes if Towne were to be found not guilty because of insanity, it does not necessarily mean that she will walk free. He said she would be held in a high-security facility for whatever amount of time a judge deems necessary.
Regardless of the situation, Sawtelle said that he was working hard to get the little girl justice.
He said:
“Ultimately, I don’t know what’s going to happen – I just want justice to be done and everyone to be informed about the process as we go along.”
This incident is not the first time Towne has been involved with authorities. As reported by KHOU11, CPS in Harris County had “red flags” as far back as 2017 when Nichole was a baby. KHOU reported ten days before Towne allegedly killed Nichole, CPS had been notified that she was potentially in danger.
After Nichole’s death, CPS issued the following statement:
“Child Protective Services is investigating this tragic death alongside law enforcement. The child’s mother, Melissa Towne, does have a prior history with CPS, but specific details of CPS investigations are confidential according to law. Ms. Towne has three additional children ranging in age from 2 years old to 18 years old who are safe and have been living with other family members.”
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