St. Paul Man Ruled Incompetent For Trial in Girl Assault Case
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A St. Paul man has been ruled incompetent to stand trial on charges that he abducted and sexually assaulted a 7-year-old girl in May.
Ramsey County Judge Gary Bastian accepted the mental competency findings at a hearing for 48-year-old August Ruthaferd on Monday. The judge moved that Ruthaferd, also known as Mark Meihofer, be civilly committed.
Ruthaferd had been charged with kidnapping and first-degree sexual assault.
According to the complaint, the girl was with her father, who was checking on a rental property, when she allegedly was kidnapped by Ruthaferd on May 5.
Prosecutors say Ruthaferd took the girl to a boarding house where he bound her with tape and assaulted her.
Supporters for the girl and her family declined to comment after the hearing.