Hawes Faces Years in Mental Hospital

(Augusta) - Jeanette Michelle Hawes future is now in the hands of Judge Carlisle Overstreet.  He will decide in 30 days if she will be released or committed indefinitely to a mental hospital.

Mcg Health forensic psychiatrist Carmen Nichita says in cases like this one a team of doctors will evaluate Hawes and give her medication to treat her mental illness.

“During this time she would be evaluated for symptoms of mental illness how she responds to treatment if she agrees too.”

Even if Hawes responds well to treatment and her evaluation is favorable it’s unlikely she will get out.

Nichita:  “The likelihood of somebody getting out of the first review is very, very slim.  Usually if they have a mental illness and display symptoms even though they are well controlled with medications they still need more assessment. They still need dangerousness assessment and most of the time they don’t get released after 30 days.”

Doctors testified that Hawes was paranoid and delusional, hearing voices that told her to stab her children.

Hawes will have a structured stay during her time in a mental hospital.  She will be a part of group activities, receive medication and visits from family.

Nichita:  “Most of the time they spend 5, 10, 15 years in the hospital after they are released to a step down program where they get into group home and they get supervised visits and psychiatric care.”