Judge approves Howland woman to return home

By Ed Runyan

runyan@vindy.com

WARREN

A 34-year-old Howland woman once charged with attempted murder is expected to return home within a few days, following a November episode that resulted in her being re-hospitalized.

Judge Peter Kontos of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court ruled in May 2010 that Crystal Goodrich, then of Leavittsburg, was innocent by reason of insanity of charges that she stabbed her grandmother three times in her grandmother’s Newton Falls home in 2009.

Goodrich was treated at Heartland Behavioral Healthcare, a state mental-health facility, for two years, then Judge Kontos granted her a conditional release in summer 2012, meaning she could live in the community as long as she followed her mental-health treatment plan.

A determination by a judge that someone is not guilty to by reason of insanity is extremely rare in Ohio.

During the most-recent two-year “community risk assessment” conducted of Goodrich for Judge Kontos in January 2013, Goodrich was deemed to be “doing very well,” according to Vince Arduin, forensic monitor for Trumbull County for the Psychiatric Center of Northeast Ohio in Austintown.

But on Nov. 28, 2014, her boyfriend contacted her counselors at Compass Family and Community Services to tell them Goodrich had left their Howland residence earlier that day after an argument, and he had not been able to contact her.

Goodrich showed up in Massillon a few days later and was placed back in Heartland Behavioral Healthcare.

Arduin attended a hearing Monday before Judge Kontos to again consider whether Goodrich should remain conditionally released, and Judge Kontos determined that she should.

Arduin told Judge Kontos that Goodrich will remain at a Trumbull County mental health facility for a couple more days before her release, then will be due for another evaluation and appearance before Judge Kontos in two years.

Her treatment providers recommend that she be allowed to live in the community.

Goodrich was not violent during her several days away from Warren, Arduin added.

Goodrich will be re-evaluated every two years until the end of the time she could have gotten in prison — about six more years, Arduin said.