Dad charged with murdering wife, 8-month-old son; but then declared "incompetent" (Ava, Missouri)

DAN ANDREWS, a dad charged with murdering his wife and 8-month-old son, has been declared incompetent to continue court proceedings. (And they say only moms get off on mental health grounds....)

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090702/NEWS01/907020369/1007/Man-facing-murder-charges-incompetent

An Ava man charged with murdering his wife and child has been declared incompetent to continue court proceedings, Douglas County Prosecutor Christopher Wade said Wednesday.

Mary Lee Burchell, 24, and her son, 8-month-old Tayler Andrews, were fatally stabbed in their home March 16. Dan Andrews, 31, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in his wife's and son's deaths.

Dan Andrews' father Starlin Andrews has publicly said his son was mentally ill -- a condition that perhaps was the result of a car crash years ago. Dan Andrews claimed his infant son was the second coming of Christ and he was the anti-Christ, family members said. Dan Andrews had been evaluated in a West Plains mental hospital in February, but had been released after 96 hours.

Wade said the Department of Mental Health made the determination that Andrews was unfit to continue with legal proceedings. "They will try to rehabilitate him. They will keep him for as long as is necessary," Wade said.

If deemed rehabilitated, legal proceedings could begin again, said Wade.