A closed-door session in Superior Court on Thursday focused on the mental health of Anyah Smith and how the legal system can balance her needs with the demands of justice. Smith, 32, has been held at the Bureau of Corrections since March, when she was charged with the drowning death of her nine-year-old daughter, Ja’Qeada Isaac.
Smith appeared remotely from the John Bell Adult Correctional Facility on St. Croix for the hearing, which was held under seal after a request from her Public Defender, Frederick Johnson. Superior Court Judge Sigrid Tejo, also appearing via live stream, granted the request to exclude the public after a brief recess.
Prosecutors, led by Assistant Attorney General Ramiro Orozco, had previously filed a motion seeking a mental health evaluation for Smith. “The People believe that the health and well-being of the defendant, Anyah Smith, would be best served by having a status hearing and having the Bureau of Corrections, by and through their medical practitioner, Dr. Evadne Sang, provide a petition under oath to this Court… to determine whether emergency commitment is warranted,” Orozco said. The motion highlighted concerns about whether immediate commitment and treatment were necessary to avoid potential harm to Smith or others.
Dr. Sang, a psychiatrist based on St. Croix and affiliated with Gov. Juan Luis Hospital, was involved in the proceedings, along with Dr. Celia Victor, a St. Thomas-based mental health specialist.
The mental health status of criminal defendants is a key factor in determining how cases proceed through the court system. Smith’s case is one of several in the Virgin Islands in 2024 where mental health concerns may intersect with domestic violence-related deaths.
Earlier this year, Mohammad Salem was arrested on St. Thomas for the fatal stabbing of his father, and a court-ordered mental health evaluation cleared him to stand trial. On St. Croix, James A. Knowles was fatally shot after attacking a relative with a machete and returning to the scene with a reciprocating saw, in a case that authorities say also raised concerns about mental health.
As the legal process continues in Smith’s case, the court will weigh the results of her mental health evaluation in determining the next steps.
