Woman found guilty of depriving children

The mother of two young children under treatment for severe neglect is set to appear in District Court on Tuesday to arrange for a competency evaluation.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl refused Wednesday to release Sandy June Linn, 39, on her own recognizance or lower her $10,000 bail.

The Gardnerville woman is charged with two counts of child abuse causing substantial bodily harm and one count of child abuse or neglect.

According to court documents, the abuse reportedly occurred from January 2003 until last October.

The charges against her allege that she deprived a now 7-year-old boy of food and water to the extent that he is below average height and weight for his age group.

She also is accused of causing mental and physical abuse to the same victim.

The third charge accuses Linn of forcing a 6-year-old girl to stand in a corner for hours performing repetitive acts.

She also is accused of stuffing a washrag in the child's mouth.

Prosecutor Kris Brown objected to Linn's request for release.

Brown said the little boy was placed at West Hills Hospital in Reno with what Linn said was "a severe psychological disorder which disappeared shortly after he was admitted."

Brown said the boy had grown 2 inches and gained 8-1/2 pounds since his admission in October, increasing his body weight by 30 percent.

The little girl, in foster care, was suffering from a bone disease brought on by malnutrition, Brown said.

Both children were at or below the lowest fifth percentile for weight and height for children their ages.

Brown said Linn had severe psychological problems and was a flight risk.

"Her estranged husband was paying the rent," Brown said. "She goes back and forth between here and California and leaves the children in the care of others. At one point, she said she was pregnant and said a baby was born in California, then died."

Brown investigators were unable to locate birth records for a baby the suspect said was born May 22, 2006.

In a birth announcement published June 21, 2006, in The Record-Courier, Linn reported the birth of a daughter, Bailie Dakota Linn-Griffin, born in Santa Rosa, Calif., weighing 3 pounds, 5 ounces.

"We have no proof of the baby's existence," Brown said.

Linn was arrested Jan. 23 following a civil proceeding in District Court to determine if her children were in need of protection.

Lawyer Tod Young entered a conditional waiver of preliminary hearing Wednesday so Linn could return to District Court to request funds for a competency evaluation.

She would be allowed to return to East Fork Justice Court for a preliminary hearing to determine if there was enough evidence to bind her over to District Court for further criminal proceedings.

Young said his client wanted to be released from jail to return to work and assist with her defense.

"She has never been in trouble before," Young said. "She would like to look for work and return her life to some normal status while she resolves this case. She does not consider herself a flight risk."

EnEarl said Linn could bring up her release status at the District Court level.