Mother Accused of Trying to Kill Her Son Takes Over As Her Own Divorce Attorney
Psychological report finished in Elmhurst resident Cheryl Luchetta's criminal case.
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The Elmhurst mother accused of drugging her son in an apparent murder-suicide attempt is now representing herself in an ongoing divorce case with the boy’s father, court records show.
Cheryl Luchetta remains held in DuPage County Jail facing an attempted murder charge connected to the June incident inside her condo, where she is accused of giving a mix of prescription drugs and other medication to her 7-year-old son before cutting her own throat, prosecutors allege.
On Thursday, attorneys in the criminal case said they had just received the psychological report ordered at the request of Luchetta’s attorney. The results or contents of the report were not discussed during the brief hearing, but she is scheduled to return to court later this month.
Court documents related to Luchetta’s divorce case claim she has had past mental health issues. Luchetta is now acting as her own attorney in the divorce, after a second attorney withdrew from the case. Most recently, Brenda Carroll, a lawyer from the DuPage Bar Legal Aid Service, filed a motion to step away as Luchetta’s attorney.
A private attorney, who is seeking approximately $5,500 in overdue payments, pulled out of the case earlier this summer. Attorney Joseph Olszowka Jr. filed paperwork in August seeking the amount, saying it was the balance due out of $18,700 in legal services provided to Luchetta since the divorce was filed in 2010.
Acting on her own, Luchetta has sent letters to court officials asking them to make sure she is transported from the jail to court for divorce hearings. The case is due back in court Oct. 24.
Stewart Levine
6:28 pm on Thursday, October 6, 2011
this woman was clearly insane, at the time of the crime. attempting to kill her son, yes a very awful act, however perhaps her husband, ex husband provoked her to these actions through infidelity, or some sort of psychological torment. it does not excuse her actions, though any jury will surely understand this and empathize with the woman. I think having to live with herself for doing what she did is enough to really cause some deep heart ache and scars that will take a lifetime to heal. the important thing is that she did not kill her son thankfully. in dupage county the prosecutors will not drop charges they will not budge, however she can plead these charges down. any moral states attorney will order her intensive probation, mandatory drug testing, and to spend a stint in a psych ward, with mandatory psychological counseling 3-4 times a week. her son is young enough to heal from this and hopefully forgive her. he would be wise to do so, whether he choses to be in contact with her is something completely separate. a child with a mother and father is better than one with none, or just one or the other. this is just my opinion.
to play this out like a tv court drama would be sinful in itself, i'm sure this woman is remorseful for what happened, she needs to move on with her life.
CUA
12:34 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
I knew her through cub scouts. She worked hard with her son and loved him dearly. She had no support system and was looking for help wherever she could. She did everything for her son, and he loved her. She had problems, and her son did as well, but they only had each other. The father was not that involved and resented the fact she had him in scouting. He never attended a single function. She was a lost soul and I wish I could have helped her more.