Moms ask for case to move forward as man pleads not guilty to murdering Utah toddlers

Emily Ashcraft, KSL.com

PROVO, Utah (KSL.com) — Mothers of 2 toddlers killed successful a clang successful Eagle Mountain told a 4th District judge Wednesday really difficult it is for them to proceed coming to nan courthouse arsenic hearings get delayed.

Their statements came arsenic Kent Cody Barlow, 27, pleaded not blameworthy to murdering their 3-year-old sons, Odin Jeffrey Ratliff and Hunter Charlie Jackson. He appeared virtually astatine nan proceeding from nan Central Utah Correctional Facility successful Gunnison, wherever he is being held connected different case.

RELATED | Man ordered to guidelines proceedings for execution successful deaths of Utah toddlers playing successful a corral

Odin and Hunter were playing successful a equine corral connected May 2, 2022, and were killed erstwhile a car constabulary opportunity was driven by Barlow near nan roadworthy and veered into Cedar Valley Stables. Three others who were successful nan car pinch Barlow testified that he was driving astatine a precocious complaint of velocity and ran a extremity motion earlier nan car deed a bump that sent it disconnected nan roadworthy and retired of control.

Barlow, of Orem, was ordered to guidelines proceedings for 2 counts of murder, a first-degree felony, and possession of a controlled substance, a people A misdemeanor, done a written bid connected May 20 of this year. He was initially charged pinch manslaughter and ordered to guidelines proceedings for that, but nan charges were upgraded to execution by prosecutors, starring to a 2nd preliminary hearing.

Theresa Ratliff said each clip she enters nan courtroom she is reminded astir really she mislaid her 3-year-old son.

“I was nan 1 who recovered nan boys. The trauma that lives successful maine for my full life will beryllium uncovering those boys, and each time that I’m present reopens that trauma. I person not been capable to grieve, your honor, not moreover a small bit,” she told nan judge.

She said each clip she comes to a hearing, she is sacrificing her profession — noting that she is not paid to beryllium location for illustration nan attorneys aliases master witnesses. She asked for nan victims’ clip to beryllium respected.

RELATED | Utah man charged pinch hitting, sidesplitting 2 boys playing successful corral; charismatic says nary plea bargains

Ratliff said it is difficult to proceed coming to hearings erstwhile she doesn’t consciousness for illustration it is moving forward, but she does it to conflict for her son. She wants to attest astir what she saw that day, she told nan judge, but it’s getting harder.

Brooke Jackson, Hunter’s mother, said they don’t judge successful nan tribunal strategy because of really often nan case’s hearings person been rescheduled; she said it seems for illustration it happens to 95% of nan hearings. She said nary of nan victims person asked for activity disconnected during nan scheduled September proceedings yet.

“We person nary religion of it happening,” she said. “Hunter and Odin still merit justness and we don’t consciousness for illustration we’re getting it.”

She said it feels for illustration Barlow and his lawyer are filing motions conscionable to hold nan case.

Before proceeding from nan mothers, 4th District Judge Robert Lund said it is still his “hope and intention” to support nan proceedings successful September. He told them he has said many times nan proceedings dates are firm, but immoderate things are beyond his control.

Lund has not yet ruled whether nan proceedings will beryllium delayed, and he is continuing to person motions relating to nan mobility from attorneys, but he said he will make a determination arsenic soon arsenic he can.

Odin Jeffrey Ratliff and Hunter Charlie Jackson, some 3 years old, were deed and killed by a car that collapsed into nan corral they were playing successful in Eagle Mountain connected May 2. A judge ordered nan driver to guidelines proceedings for execution successful nan deaths of nan children connected Monday. | Courtesy Cedar Valley Stables

Decision appealed

Barlow’s attorney, Ben Aldana, asked to put nan criminal lawsuit connected clasp while he appeals nan denial of his mobility to region Lund from nan lawsuit to nan Utah Court of Appeals.

In his mobility to entreaty nan ruling, made by a abstracted 4th District judge, Aldana said Lund “made statements that nan defense viewed arsenic exhibiting bias, and displaying deep-seated antagonism towards some Mr. Barlow and nan defense team.”

The mobility besides discussed Lund’s statements that he wanted to support nan proceedings successful nan lawsuit group for September, contempt Aldana’s statement that he would not person capable clip to prepare.

Barlow’s adjacent hearing, connected June 26, will reside motions his lawyer revenge claiming that nan measurement a tube recovered astatine nan clang segment was handled could person contaminated nan DNA.

“The authorities fundamentally ripped nan rug retired from nether nan defense,” Aldana said of grounds astir nan tube raised astatine nan preliminary hearing.

He based on that nan measurement nan swabbing occurred would person destroyed immoderate fingerprint grounds and could person brought successful DNA from different items related to nan case.

Kent Cody Barlow was ordered to guidelines proceedings for 2 counts of execution connected Monday aft a judge said he caused a clang that led to nan deaths of 2 Eagle Mountain toddlers. | Salt Lake County Jail