January 14, 2009 05:26 pm
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The homicide trial for a Cambridge Springs woman accused of causing the death of an infant has been delayed again.
The trial of Melynda K. French, 24, was scheduled to begin this coming Tuesday in Crawford County Court of Common Pleas.
Cambridge Springs police charged French with third-degree criminal homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.
However, the Crawford County District Attorney’s Office has been granted a continuance by Judge Anthony Vardaro.
A defense expert witness report wasn’t scheduled to be received by the DA’s office until Thursday, not leaving the office enough time to review it before trial, said Francis Schultz, the county’s district attorney.
Police allege French assaulted infant Kierstan Alaina Bressette on Feb. 4, 2008, in the family’s 242 McClellan St. home. The girl died Feb. 5, 2008, at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
French had been scheduled to stand trial on the charges in county court in November 2008, but the trial was rescheduled to this month at the request of French’s defense team because of a scheduling conflict.
If convicted on all charges, French could face a maximum sentence of more than 60 years in prison.
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