Oct 14, 2009 10:00 pm US/Eastern
Pa. Woman Ordered To Stand Trial In Hot-Van Death
PENNDEL, Pa. (AP) ―
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Rimma Shvartsman (Far right)
CBS
The owner of a suburban Philadelphia day care center has been ordered to stand trial on involuntary manslaughter and other charges for the death of a toddler left in a hot minivan for hours.
A judge ruled Wednesday that there's enough evidence against 47-year-old Rimma Shvartsman to order her to stand trial in Bucks County Court. In addition to the felony charge of involuntary manslaugher, she was also ordered to stand trial on the misdemeanor of endangering the welfare of children and the summary offense of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.
Defense lawyer Michael Mustokoff tried to call an expert witness on memory issues to testify at Wednesday's preliminary hearing, but the judge said such a witness is more appropriate at trial.
Mustokoff has previously said he doesn't believe Shvartsman's actions met the legal definition of criminal negligence.
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