With that conclusion, defense attorneys must now begin looking at other possible explanations for the crime as they prepare for her trial.

"We've got some more work to do," defense attorney John Caine told news reporters after a status hearing Monday before 2nd District Judge Michael Allphin. "Nothing prevented her from understanding the consequences of what she did."

The reports agreed that Andrews was suffering only from mild depression and difficulty staying awake.

With the evaluations now completed, Caine must begin preparing for an Aug. 21 trial.

Andrews, 36, is charged with first-degree felony counts of murder and aggravated sexual abuse for the Aug. 1, 2006, death of Shelby Andrews, who had severe bruising and swelling of the brain when she died.

Andrews has pleaded not guilty by reason of diminished capacity to the charges.

At the time Shelby died, Andrews was "hurting badly" from recent surgeries and taking "a ton of medication," Caine said.

He also said that Andrews and her husband, Ryan Andrews, 38, were dealing with a "very difficult child."

Caine said unnamed "counselors" had advised the parents on what to do, and "some measures discussed with them were very harsh."

Caine added, however, that the advice did not include locking the child in the linen closet where she died.

Prosecutors have said Shelby's death resulted from a misguided attempt at discipline. But they insist the child did nothing to incur such violent wrath. Three other children in the home were not abused, according to prosecutors.

Key trial testimony against Angela Andrews is expected to come from her husband, who pleaded guilty in December to murder for his part in his daughter's death. He was sentenced in January to a 15-years-to-life prison term.

Caine said he plans to file a motion seeking to suppress portions of Ryan Andrews' version of events.

"We have two versions of how the injuries occurred," said Caine, adding that his client "absolutely" disputes some of what her husband wrote in a lengthy statement that accompanied his guilty plea.

Ryan Andrews claims Shelby had been beaten and abused for at least two weeks prior to her death, starting with Angela Andrews stomping on the girl's crotch with her heel.

The father also admitted to holding the girl's arms and legs while his wife struck the girl between the legs with a Lysol spray can.

Angela Andrews also repeatedly slammed Shelby's head into the stairs, he said.

Earlier on the day Shelby died, Angela forced her to eat her own feces "as a punishment because Shelby had had an accident."

When the father arrived home from work that day, he said he spoke to his wife about the problems she had been having with Shelby, and they decided to shut the girl into a cramped linen closet.

"Angela and I knew the space between the shelving in the closet and the door was too small for her to fit, but we put her into the closet anyway," according to Ryan Andrews' statement. "We then left the room to watch television."

The father said they could hear Shelby calling out that she could not breathe, and was sick and throwing up in her mouth.

But when he got up to let her out, his wife told him not to because the girl was "just trying to play" them.

The couple later opened the closet door and her lifeless body fell to the floor, according to the father's statement.

Shelby's death prompted the drafting of House Bill 93, which would make it a capital crime if a child dies during an episode of kidnapping, child abuse or certain sexual acts.

The bill, which has not yet been signed by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., would eliminate the need for prosecutors to prove the slaying was intentional.

shunt@sltrib.com