SUNBURY - A 65-year-old Sunbury woman charged in connection with the death of her granddaughter in 2010 will face a bench trial Aug. 22 in Northumberland County Court.
Bertha M. Dreese, who withdrew her guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter earlier this year, will have her guilt or innocence determined by President Judge Robert B. Sacavage rather than a jury.
Her attorney, James Best of Sunbury, made the bench trial request Friday afternoon during a pre-trial conference before Sacavage. First Assistant District Attorney Ann Targonski did not oppose because the case has been continued several times over the past two years.
Dreese told Sacavage she has been willing to take a polygraph test since being arrested, but the judge said the results of the test wouldn't be admissible at trial.
The defendant, who told the judge she understood her rights to having a trial, cried a few times during her court appearance. She remains free on bail.
Best and First Assistant District Attorney Ann Targonski were given until Aug. 16 to file any motions or stipulations.
Dreese withdrew her plea after realizing she would receive jail time instead of house arrest. Dreese's daughter, Heidi S. Yocum, 30, of Lewisburg, a co-defendant in the case, was sentenced Jan. 14 by Judge Charles H. Saylor to 1 to 5 years in a state correctional institution. Yocum was expecting to be placed on probation after her guilty plea.
Infant left alone
Dreese, Yocum and 29-year-old Lopaka Loner were charged in connection with the Oct. 16, 2010, death of 1-year-old Anela Naloni Loner. The infant died from hyperthermia after being left in a room for 19 hours with a space heater at 43 S. Seventh St., Sunbury, where Yocum and Loner resided at the time.
The trio were charged by Sunbury Officer Jamie Quinn about a year after the girl's death.
Lopaka Loner, who is the infant's father, was sentenced Nov. 19 by Sacavage to 11 1/2 to 23 months in Northumberland County Prison after pleading guilty to misdemeanors of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.
Police said Dreese had been babysitting the child and Yocum's two other children on Oct. 16. Police said Dreese arrived at the home at 1 p.m., but didn't check on the infant until the following morning.
Additionally, neither Yocum nor Loner checked on the child throughout the day, police said.
Authorities said the infant was not provided any food or water in the room that likely ranged in temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees.