Girl, 12, accused of fatally stabbing NLV father to undergo competency evaluation
A 12-year-old girl accused of fatally stabbing her father will undergo a competency evaluation as her attorney said on Friday that he has reason to question that she “understands what’s happening around her.”
The girl’s father, identified by the Clark County coroner’s office as 56-year-old James Waldie, was found dead Dec. 27 in an apartment in the 3400 block of Mercury Street, police said.
His daughter told detectives that she had stabbed her father over a disagreement that stemmed from disciplinary action, according to police.
Police said that officers had responded to the apartment several times in December, including hours before Waldie was found dead.
On Dec. 7, Waldie reported a runaway child, police said. About a week later, the girl was arrested for allegedly hitting and injuring the man.
On Dec. 27, Waldie reported that the girl had run away again, but officers found her and took her home, according to police.
“No evidence was found indicating significant physical harm to the girl prior to the incident,” police wrote in a news release.
Since the 12-year-old, whose name is not being released because she is a minor and has not been charged as an adult, was taken into custody on one count of murder, questions about her competency have been raised, her attorney, Jon Chagoya, said in court Friday morning.
Nevada law defines child competency as a child’s ability to understand the nature of the allegations and the nature of the purpose of court proceedings, as well as the child’s ability to aid defense counsel with a reasonable degree of rational understanding, Chagoya explained in court.
A competency evaluation was scheduled for Jan. 16 before Family Court Judge Linda Marquis.
Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @estelleatkinson.bsky.social on Bluesky and @estellelilym on X.
