An Orange County judge grappled with where to place the 74-year-old man who shot and killed his daughter, Karina Rheaume, when she came to bring him cookies and check on him in May 2021.

Judge Michael Jesic denied release for a man charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale, ruling against his attorney's argument that missed court dates were caused by mental health problems now resolved with treatment.

For the second time, the father accused of leaving his toddler unattended in a car in El Centro did not appear in court Wednesday due to medical reasons. Judge Christopher Plourd noted there may be psychiatric concerns and considered sending the case to mental health court.

Individuals under court order for placement in state-run psychiatric facilities on average find themselves languishing nearly two months in local jails for their mandated hospital bed.

A man in custody was found eligible for mental health diversion, but remains jailed due to a lack of available treatment beds.

Judges say they fear that without additional support, more individuals with mental illnesses may escalate from misdemeanors to felonies.

In Kaye’s Los Angeles Superior Court, that business often entails balancing criminal justice with appropriate mental health care needs to address both public safety and individual accountability.