Prosecutor calls for jury to decide how Greensburg mother's mental state impacts attempted murder case

A Westmoreland County prosecutor said Thursday a jury should decide how a Greensburg woman’s mental health issues impacted what police contend was an attempt to kill her 8-year-old daughter with illegal drugs.

Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar said during a pretrial hearing that a pending psychological evaluation of 31-year-old Skye Naggy will have no impact on the decision to continue the prosecution related to the Oct. 25, 2022, incident.

Naggy is charged with 15 counts, including first-degree attempted homicide, attempted drug delivery resulting in death, attempting to aid suicide, child endangerment, kidnapping of a minor, aggravated assault and related offenses. Child pornography and other sex-related counts charged at the time of her arrest were later dropped by prosecutors, according to court records.

“I won’t be dismissing the (attempted homicide) charges. It is up to the fact finders to decide. I don’t believe the fact finders will decide she is insane,” Lazar said.

Police contend Naggy gave a dose of fentanyl to her 8-year-old daughter. They said the act occurred hours after Naggy was released from an involuntary mental health commitment, purchased the drugs, picked up the child and drove to a remote wooded area near the Loyalhanna Lake and intended to commit suicide.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani earlier this year rejected a defense request to have the charges against Naggy dismissed based on claims from two doctors who suggested she was insane at the time of the incident. The same mental health experts found Naggy was competent to stand trial.

Defense lawyers said they will ask a jury to determine that, because of her troubled mental state at the time of the incident, she can not be held criminally liable for her actions.

Lazar said a prosecution expert conducted an evaluation of Naggy last month in the Westmoreland County Prison and is awaiting a detailed report of the doctor’s findings, but he expects it will rebut the defense’s theory of the case.

Naggy has been in jail without bond since her arrest in November 2022. No trial date has been scheduled, and the judge ordered her to return to court in two months for another pretrial hearing.