The trial for a Benzie County woman accused of trying to kill her autistic daughter in a murder-suicide attempt has been delayed until September. Jury selection for Kelli Stapleton was originally slated to begin Wednesday.
Stapleton is accused of locking herself and her daughter into a family van and lighting two charcoal grills inside. Police say they found both mother and daughter inside, unconscious with carbon monoxide poisoning. That was in September 2013.
Attorneys from both sides have asked for more time to prepare their cases. Stapleton's lawyer has asked a judge to suppress statements from her estranged husband, and others. The prosecution has asked for more information from the defense. The judge will hear both motions at the end of July.
The case has attracted international attention. Before the incident last September, Stapleton wrote a popular blog about mothering her daughter Issy, who is autistic and also prone to violent outbursts.