Woman charged with assault, battery on child to undergo psychological evaluation

Criminal proceedings were suspended Tuesday in Sonoma County Superior Court against a Sebastopol woman charged with felony assault and battery of her 5-year-old daughter.

A psychologist will conduct a mental competence exam of Melody Eleni Loukas, 39, and submit a report on June 11. Loukas’ next court date is June 13.

Loukas remains in Sonoma County Jail under $250,000 bail. She allegedly choked her daughter in a vehicle outside her Berry Lane residence on May 14.

The complaint alleges the assault and child abuse were likely to cause great bodily injury and the battery likely to cause serious injury. Loukas’ sister told Sebastopol police Loukas was possibly impaired in a vehicle at state Highway 116 and Berry Lane. She said Loukas might have struck her daughter in the face while she was under the influence of a drug before she fled in a vehicle, police said.

Loukas returned to the Berry Lane residence with her daughter as police were searching for her, police said. They arrived and found her and her daughter in the vehicle.

The girl’s face was red and swollen, had dark bruises around her eyes and red marks around her neck, police said. Loukas admitted choking her daughter until she passed out and did not give a motive for the assault, police said.

The girl was taken to the emergency room of Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital and was later transported to the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. The judge issued a criminal protective order against Loukas.