VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Charges have been dropped against a woman accused of attempting to kidnap two children from a Target store in Virginia, according to prosecutors.
The attempted abduction and assault charges against Patricia Metz were withdrawn this week after state psychiatric hospital officials reported she would likely never be mentally fit to stand trial, said Macie Allen, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Beach commonwealth’s attorney’s office.
A Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Judge instead ordered Metz be held at a hospital for further treatment, Allen added.
Metz, then 30, was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation in August, days after she was accused of trying to kidnap two children under the age of 5 from the Target location in Virginia Beach, The Virginian-Pilot reported.
At the time, police said she fought with adults trying to stop her, then tried to flee the store, according to the newspaper.
Doctors worked to help Metz gain competency in the months following her arrest, but eventually determined she could not be restored, Allen said.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.