A Shafter woman accused of killing her baby has been found incompetent to stand trial.

Elvira Farias’s newborn son was found beaten to death in some bushes on James Street near Sunset Avenue last year. Farias was known to police as a homeless meth user who repeatedly told people she didn’t want her baby.

Her defense has consistently questioned why officers and mental health workers did not get her help for significant psychological issues, and the judge found that she did not understand the case well enough to have a fair trial.

Farias will now be spending at least three years at Patton State Hospital.

Kelli Forsch