Stacey Mendieta entered the Douglas County Justice Center
courtroom wearing a white T-shirt with a picture of her two
children on the front.
Jasmine Mendieta, 5, and Nathan Mendieta, 2, were found dead in
their mother’s car on Aug. 20 in Castle Pines North due to
hyperthermia from being inside the hot vehicle.
Mendieta has been charged with two counts of child abuse
resulting in death.
The preliminary hearing held Jan. 8 at the justice center was
continued to April 2, because of “various conditions,” according to
Judge Susanna Meissner-Cutler.
The public information officer for the district attorney’s
office, Kathleen Walsh, said, “It’s just a timing thing.”
Mendieta has been living at the home of her parents, Pamela and
Kenneth VanHerpen, in Castle Pines North.