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UpdatedThu, May 27, 2021 at 4:52 pm PT
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Daniel Birch Poulsen (Desert Hot Springs Police Department)
INDIO, CA A mental competency trial was rescheduled Thursday to June 23 for a man accused of severely injuring a 7-year-old Desert Hot Springs boy in a random attack last summer.
Daniel Birch Poulsen, 33, was arrested last July after allegedly attacking Gavin Ludwick in the middle of the street in the 9600 block of Vista Del Valle, fracturing the boy s skull and rendering him unconscious.
The prosecution requested a jury trial at the Larson Justice Center in Indio to determine whether Poulsen is mentally fit to be prosecuted on one count each of attempted murder and willful child cruelty, along with two sentence-enhancing allegations of inflicting great bodily injury.
Mom of 8-year-old boy speaks out on mental competency trial date set for alleged attacker
This week a trial date was set for Daniel Poulsen, 33, of Desert Hot Springs who is accused of attacking a then 7-year-old boy outside his home last summer. Poulsen is due in court on May 27 where a jury will decide whether he is mentally competent to stand trial.
Poulsen
was arrested last July after allegedly attacking Gavin Ludwick in the middle of the street in the 9600 block of Vista Del Valle, fracturing the boy s skull and rendering him unconscious. Poulsen was a neighbor, but neither of the families knew each other.
Mental competency trial date set for man accused of severely injuring Desert Hot Springs child
A May 27 trial date was set today to determine whether a man accused of severely injuring a 7-year-old Desert Hot Springs boy in a random attack last summer is mentally competent.
Daniel Birch Poulsen, 33,
was arrested last July after allegedly attacking Gavin Ludwick in the middle of the street in the 9600 block of Vista Del Valle, fracturing the boy s skull and rendering him unconscious.
The prosecution previously requested a jury trial to determine whether Poulsen is mentally fit to be prosecuted on one count each of attempted murder and willful child cruelty, along with two sentence-enhancing allegations
Proceedings against Poulsen were suspended last summer, after his attorney expressed doubts regarding his client s mental fitness. Two behavioral health specialists were appointed by the court to evaluate Poulsen s mental competency. Psychological evaluations pointed to doubt about the defendant s mental competency.
Poulsen is no stranger to competency proceedings. Court records show he has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial at least 11 times over the years.
On the night of July 18, police officers were alerted to a child lying unconscious on Vista Del Valle. Investigators determined the boy was deliberately attacked, and arrested Poulsen the next day, although police did not reveal how they identified him as the alleged perpetrator.