Alleged kidnapper found competent to stand trial

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A woman accused of attacking and kidnapping a relative’s girlfriend was ruled capable to stand trial this week.

Edith A. Corfman, 51, was determined to be competent to stand trial Monday during a hearing on her competency to stand trial and mental state at the time of an alleged offense.

Corfman was ordered to undergo an evaluation in July after a motion requesting evaluation of competency and sanity along with a not guilty plea by reason of insanity plea was entered. A final pretrial conference is scheduled for Aug. 17 with trial dates scheduled for Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi filed a motion to continue the jury trial dates Wednesday, citing a scheduling conflict with one of the state’s witnesses.

Corfman was indicted in June on three counts of abduction and one count each of aggravated burglary, felonious assault and kidnapping for an alleged incident on May 14. On that date Urbana police responded to a Concord Street residence after a woman reported she was attacked inside her home, tied up and forcibly taken away with her infant daughter and a 4-year-old stepson in a vehicle by Corfman and her daughter Lindsey A. Corfman.

Police previously told the Daily Citizen that Edith Corfman is the mother of the victim’s boyfriend and grandmother of both young children.

The Corfmans unexpectedly arrived at the victim’s residence on that date and allegedly attacked her before tying her up and forcing her and the two children into a vehicle. After being driven throughout Urbana, the vehicle stopped near the city pond at Melvin Miller Park, where Edith Corfman allegedly threatened to throw the infant into the pond unless the victim agreed to help convince her son to give up custody of the child to her.

When police responded to the victim’s residence, several cuts, scrapes and contusions were observed on the victim’s head and face. Both children were found uninjured.

Lindsey Corfman was also indicted on three counts of abduction and one count each of aggravated burglary, felonious assault and kidnapping.

On Monday, a not guilty by reason of insanity plea was accepted on her behalf and she is scheduled to undergo an evaluation to determine her competency to stand trial at the Forensic Psychiatry Center for Western Ohio on Aug. 14.

A final pretrial conference in Lindsey Corfman’s case that was scheduled for Aug. 17 was vacated.

By Nick Walton

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Nick Walton can be reached at 937-652-1331 Ext. 1777 or on Twitter @UDCWalton.

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