A judge Thursday confirmed a trial will start May 7 as scheduled in the case of a Waterford man accused of murder in the death of his girlfriend's 3-month-old daughter about six years ago.
Randy Lewis Mitchell, 30, has been charged with murder and assault on a child younger than 8 years old by a caregiver resulting in great bodily injury or death.
Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Ricardo Córdova scheduled Mitchell to return to court Feb. 4 for a pretrial hearing, so the court can ensure that witnesses on both sides will be ready to testify in May.
The trial had once been scheduled to start this summer, but was postponed to give the defense attorney more time to prepare with an expert who will testify.
The defendant remains in custody and appeared briefly in court for Friday's pretrial hearing.
On Dec. 21, 2006, medics responded to a report of a baby who wasn't breathing at a home on F Street in Waterford.
The infant was taken to an Oakdale hospital with signs of physical abuse. Stanislaus County sheriff's officials arrested Mitchell after an interview the following day.
The child died Dec. 30, 2006, at Children's Hospital Central California, near Madera.
Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or (209) 578-2394.
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