Judge To Announce Verdict In Blackstone Mother Erika Murray 'House Of Horrors' Case

WORCESTER (CBS/AP) -- A judge will issue a verdict Thursday morning in the case against Erika Murray, charged with murder after the remains of three babies were found in her squalid Blackstone home.

The prosecution and defense presented closing arguments last week. Murray is charged in the deaths of two of the babies.

State police discovered the bodies in September 2014 while performing a wellness check. They say the house was full of trash and infested with insects and rodents. Prosecutors also argued Murray knew what she was doing and lived a life of secrecy.

"She disposed of bodies and disposed of them not in a loving way. She dumped them in a closet," prosecutor Christopher Hodgens said.

Judge Janet Kenton Walker dropped one of the two murder charges against her, saying there wasn't enough evidence that one of those babies was born alive.

Murray's attorney says his client is mentally ill and that there's no evidence she caused the baby's death.

"It is a tragedy for all involved, but it's not a murder," said defense attorney Keith Halpern.

A psychiatrist who testified on behalf of the prosecution Friday said he concluded Murray did not suffer from a mental illness.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)