Horsham Mom Murder Case Hearing Delayed

HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —The preliminary hearing for the township mother accused in the strangulation death of her 11-year-old son that was scheduled for Wednesday has been continued, her lawyer said.

This marks the second time that the hearing for Ruth Dirienzo-Whitehead is delayed.

She was expected in Magisterial District Court for her preliminary hearing Wednesday afternoon on charges of first-degree murder, third-degree murder, and possessing an instrument of crime in the death of her son last month.

An April 27 date was initially scheduled but that was continued.

Eugene Tinari, the Philadelphia lawyer representing Dirienzo-Whitehead told Patch Tuesday that he believed the hearing would be rescheduled for late May but possibly early June due to the Memorial Day weekend.

Dirienzo-Whitehead is being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after being extradited last month from Cape May Prison.

There is no bail available for first-degree murder charges.

Dirienzo-Whitehead said that she strangled her son with her husband's belt at the family's Privet Road home early last month after he had been "upset and crying off and on all day" over the family's financial difficulties, according to an affidavit.

Late last month, DiRienzo-Whitehead underwent a mental health evaluation.

Tinari said that while his mental health evaluation of Dirienzo-Whitehead is finished, "the psychiatric evaluation to determine competency" has not been completed by the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.

He said that the evaluation is expected to be performed next week.

"Ours has been done since the beginning," Tinari said. "We're waiting on the DA. The new hearing should be late May or early June. It's hard to predict."

Authorities said after DiRienzo-Whitehead left her home, she drove the family’s SUV to Cape May, N.J. There, she proceeded to drive the vehicle into the ocean just off Beach Avenue, where it was found by Cape May Police. She then walked to Wildwood Crest, where she was taken into custody by Wildwood Crest Police.

"She was delusional and has mental health issues," Tinari said at that time. "We're convinced this occurred from a severe mental illness because there's no explanation."

A new judge had been assigned for the preliminary hearing.

Magisterial District Judge Paul Leo of neighboring Hatboro will now handle the hearing.

Magisterial District Judge Harry Nesbitt III of Horsham had been assigned but Tinari said that "Nesbitt is on vacation."

Related stories

Horsham 'Hurting' Over Mom Murder Case

Horsham Mom Murder Case: 5 Things We Know

Horsham Mom Accused Of Strangling Son Gets Court Date

Horsham Mom Accused Of Strangling Son Waives Extradition

New Details On Horsham Mom Accused Of Strangling Son

Horsham Mom Strangled Son Over Financial Woes, Records Show

Horsham Mother Charged With Murder In Death Of Son, 11