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Youngwood women accused of abusing grandmother to get psychiatric treatment before trial

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - 5/29/2018

May 29--A mother and daughter from Youngwood will be transferred Torrance State Hospital for mental health evaluation and treatment before they face trial for charges that they beat and shaved the head of a grandmother in a fight over the volume of a Steelers game.

Attorneys for Delores M. Amorino, 41, and Sarah M. Amorino, 18, went before Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas Judge Timothy Krieger Tuesday to ask that their clients be moved to Torrance from the prison, citing reports that they had unresolved mental health issues that the prison couldn't address but should be treated before trial.

"'She needs intense intervention,'" said Timothy Dawson, Delores's attorney, as he read from an evaluation of his client. A shorter report on Sarah reached a similar conclusion, said Jack Manderino, her attorney.

Neither psychiatric evaluation has concluded that the women were incompetent to stand trial, but Dawson made the argument that treatment would help them to aid in their own defense.

State police charged both women with aggravated assault, conspiracy, terroristic threats, false imprisonment, simple assault, harassment and criminal mischief stemming from the August, 2017 incident . Police also charged Sarah, who was 17 at the time of the incident, with strangulation.

Police said that Delores and Sarah argued with the victim, who lived with them, over the volume of a Steelers game on the television. The victim locked herself in her room to listen to the game on the radio, and police said the women broke down the door and began physically abusing the victom over the course of two days: striking her with a broom handle, stomping on her foot, choking her with bare hands and a scarf, and shaving her head with scissors and a shaver.

The 77-year-old victim slipped out of the house as the women slept the next morning, and walked a half mile to the borough building to seek help, police said,

Krieger said he would review the case after 90 days to see if the women were ready for trial. They had previously been scheduled for a trial in July.

Matthew Santoni is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724 836 6660, msantoni@tribweb.com or on Twitter @msantoni.

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