MARION — There's been a mistrial in the trial of a Grant County woman charged in the murder of her 10-year-old stepdaughter.
The decision was announced Wednesday. According to court records, a hearing will take place late this month to set a new trial date.
It was September of last year when 10-year-old Skylea Carmack's body was found in a shed behind her Gas City home, covered in a plastic trash bag.
Stepmother Amanda Carmack, 34, was arrested and charged with murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, domestic battery, and strangulation.
The Grant County Coroner said Skylea died of strangulation and had been dead four-days when state police found her body.
According to court documents, when questioned by detectives about whether she had done anything to the child, Amanda Carmack said, "I don't remember," or "it doesn't matter." But she eventually admitted to killing Skylea, by choking the girl and then tying "something" around her neck.
Carmack said she did it because she was angry and claimed "mental disease" as her defense. But a mental evaluation found the woman was competent to stand trial.
If convicted, Carmack could face life in prison.
