Judge approves competency exam in Bluffton boy’s death

BLUFFTON, Ind. (AP) – A judge has approved funds for a competency exam of the mother of a 3-year-old northeastern Indiana boy who died while she and two other people allegedly smoked methamphetamine.

WOWO reports a Wells County judge on Wednesday approved spending $3,500 to conduct the competency exam of 21-year-old Breanna Arnold. She’s charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, abuse of a corpse and other counts.

The burned body of Owen Collins of Bluffton was found in a rural area Jan. 18 after Arnold reported him missing. The Wells County coroner ruled the boy died from blunt force trauma.

Last week, Arnold’s 31-year-old boyfriend, Zachary Barnes, pleaded guilty to murder in the case under an agreement with prosecutors in which he’ll be sentenced to 50 years in prison.