Slasher mom 'manic depressive'

2006-02-15 18:18

Mckinney - A woman accused of killing her infant daughter by cutting off the girl's arms had said a few days earlier that she wanted to "give the baby to God," her husband testified.

Dena Schlosser, 37, was leaving church about a week before the girl's November 2004 death when she also said she wanted to give Maggie to pastor Doyle Davidson, John Schlosser said.

"She said, 'I want to give the baby to Doyle.' She said 'I want to give the baby to God,"' said John Schlosser, who has filed for divorce.

He also testified at his wife's murder trial on Tuesday that she showed other disturbing behaviour following Maggie's birth - including cutting her own wrists with scissors - but that he didn't worry too much or take her to counselling. John Schlosser said she had had bouts with depression after the birth of their other two daughters.

The defence, which has entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, questioned John Schlosser about how he responded to his wife's behaviour.

"You never called authorities," defence attorney William Schultz said on cross-examination, suggesting that John Schlosser didn't want others involved in his family's personal business.

John Schlosser said it didn't occur to him to seek treatment for his wife. He said he wasn't alarmed by Dena Schlosser saying she wanted to give their baby to God because she acted normally after he calmed her down.

Prosecutors, who are not seeking the death penalty, showed the jury autopsy photos of Maggie's body and rested their case after two days of testimony.

Dena Schlosser was arrested in 2004 after she told an emergency services operator she had severed her baby's arms. Police found her in the living room, covered in blood, still holding a knife.

On Monday, she slumped forward and stared at her hands as prosecutors played jurors the recording of the emergency call.

"Exactly what happened?" asked emergency services operator Steve Edwards.

"I cut her arms off," Dena Schlosser replied as a gospel song played in the background.

After her arrest, Dena Schlosser was diagnosed with manic depression. In February 2005, a jury deliberated only a few minutes before deciding she was mentally incompetent to stand trial and she was committed to North Texas State Hospital. But in May, a judge decided she was competent.

Her two surviving daughters, ages six and nine, are in their father's custody.

Dena Schlosser had been accused of child neglect in the months before Margaret's death, but a state investigation found she did not pose a risk to the 10-month-old or her other two daughters.

Texas' troubled Child Protective Services came under intense scrutiny after a number of high-profile child abuse deaths, including the Schlosser case.

The Health and Human Services Commission, which oversees CPS, laid out more than 160 recommendations last year to overhaul the agency.

- AP