The Lower East Side woman accused of smothering her child in a restaurant bathroom last month was charged yesterday with a single count of second degree murder.
35-year-old Latisha Fisher is being held for psychiatric observation at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens. She was arrested March 30 after being found in the restroom with 20-month-old Gavriel Ortiz-Fisher. The child was unconscious and later declared dead at Bellevue Hospital.
Fisher participated in the arraignment yesterday via a video hookup from the hospital. Her attorney asked the judge for a psychological exam to determine if she is competent to stand trial. Fisher was previously diagnosed with schizophrenia and has a history of violent behavior. Prosecutors oppose bail, but Fisher’s lawyer says he will make a case for her release at a later time.
Fisher is a resident of the Gompers Houses on Pitt Street.
