BENTON, IL (AP) – The trial of a southern Illinois woman accused of drowning her 8-year-old daughter has been postponed.
The Southern Illinoisan reports 31-year-old Mary Zumwalt-Jophlin had been scheduled for a May 6 trial in Franklin County in connection with Alexus Smothers’ 2011 death. But those proceedings have been delayed until Sept. 6.
Authorities allege Zumwalt-Jophlin killed her daughter at their West Frankfort home and then hid the girl’s body in a basement crawlspace.
She’s pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, concealment of a homicide and obstructing justice.
She remains jailed in lieu of $2 million bail.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for April 29.
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Information from: Southern Illinoisan, http://www.southernillinoisan.com
AP-WF-03-27-14 1256GMT<