Fort Collins – A Loveland woman accused along with her husband of molesting her children nearly a decade ago will undergo a mental evaluation to determine whether she is competent to stand trial.
Dawn Triggs, 40, will be examined at the state mental hospital in Pueblo to gauge her understanding of the case against her. She faces seven counts of sexual assault on a child, sexual exploitation and pattern of abuse for a series of incidents that are alleged to have occurred between Nov. 1, 1994, and July 31, 1995.
Her husband, 35-year-old James Triggs, faces 17 similar counts. Authorities claim the couple sexually abused six of their nine children, forcing them to perform sex acts on their parents and on one another. Each parent is jailed on $750,000 bail.
Bob Rand, the attorney for Dawn Triggs, told District Judge James Hiatt on Monday that he could barely communicate with his client. She also seemed unconcerned about the charges and the gravity of the case against her.
“She only seems worried about the loss of her apartment and of her worldly possessions, which are very few,” Rand said. “This just seems an inconvenience to her and her ability to go on with her life.”
Prosecutor Mitch Murray argued against an extensive evaluation, which he said may end up simply showing that Triggs “doesn’t want to face up to the facts of this case.”
Hiatt agreed that Triggs’ conduct up to now is no proof that she is incompetent to stand trial. But enough doubts have been raised to call for a mental evaluation, he said.
The couple were scheduled to stand trial Jan. 30. Dawn Triggs’ case will be suspended, pending findings from mental- health professionals, Hiatt said.
The children, now ages 10 to 17, are living in foster or adoptive homes.
Authorities took the children from their parents in July 1995, based on allegations of abuse and neglect.
The couple gave up their parental rights to all nine children in 1997.
Monday began three days of testimony from people who knew and cared for the Triggses’ children while they were living with their parents and afterward.
Under questioning from Murray, former foster parent Delri Hanson told the court that some of the Triggses’ children Hanson was taking care of told of being abused by their parents. An 8-year-old son told Hanson he inserted sexually explicit words in a children’s song because “Dad said I could make money doing this.”
Staff writer Monte Whaley can be reached at 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
