LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas woman accused of fatally stabbing a 3-year-old girl she was hired to care for appeared in court this week. A judge had previously ordered a mental health evaluation to determine if she is competent to stand trial.
Marketta Phillips, who remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center, is charged with the murder of Journei Ross—the daughter of her on-again, off-again boyfriend.
WATCH | Marketta Philips, the woman accused of fatally stabbing 3-year-old, appears in court
Journei was found stabbed to death in her father's apartment in March. Her father, Jeremy Ross, now wears a bracelet containing her ashes—one of the few tangible memories he has left of his little girl.
“It hurts. It really hurts,” Ross said. “So normalcy is not really normal.”
VIDEO: 911 calls reveal father's distress after finding 3-year-old daughter stabbed to death
Days after Phillips’ arrest, she sat down for a brief jailhouse interview and maintained her innocence.
“I’m not even going to try to play this game,” Phillips said. “I don’t even know what’s going on out there. All I know is that it's not what everybody is trying to make it seem. That’s all I really know right now, and I’ll leave it at that.”
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Her statement did little to comfort Ross, who says he can’t make sense of Phillips’ words with the trauma his family has endured.
“It’s an eye for an eye in this case,” he said. “I know she has the mental capacity to pull through and at least go to trial.”
The judge postponed the competency hearing until next month. Phillips’ next court date is scheduled for July 9.
