Not competent for trial: Criminal case on hold indefinitely for Layton mother accused of killing her children in 2010

Farmington • After years of treatment at the Utah State Hospital, a Layton mother accused of killing her children in 2010 is still not competent to stand trial on the charges.

Now, a 2nd District judge has ordered that her case be put on hold indefinitely while Sun Cha Warhola is civilly committed to the state hospital for continued treatment.

Warhola is charged with two counts of first-degree felony aggravated murder for allegedly strangling 8-year-old James and his 7-year-old sister, Jean, in their Layton home in September 2010. Her attorney, Edward Brass, raised questions of the woman's competency early in the case, and she has been at the state hospital receiving treatment since 2011.

Review hearings have been held throughout the last several years, but Warhola has never been found competent.

In a Monday ruling, Judge Michael Allphin wrote that in an effort to protect incompetent defendants from prolonged incarceration, state law provides a time frame in which a defendant charged with aggravated murder must be restored to competency, or be released from custody or civilly committed to the state hospital.

Warhola has reached that timeframe, the judge said, noting that state officials are in the process of civilly committing Warhola.

The judge ordered that no further court hearings be held, and that Warhola continue to be held in the Utah State Hospital until a civil court judge orders that she be committed to the facility.

Brass said Tuesday that if Warhola is ever released from the hospital or found competent in the future, prosecutors can resume their case against her.

On Sept. 8, 2010, Warhola's husband came home to find his wife had used a bed to barricade herself inside their son's room.

After forcing his way inside, the man found his children dead, lying on a bed and covered by a blanket, according to police.

jmiller@sltrib.com