WASHINGTON COUNTY, INDIANA, Ind. — An Indiana court ruled this week the mother of a 5-year-old boy found dead in a suitcase in 2022 must undergo mental competency evaluations before being allowed to represent herself in her case.
Dejaune Anderson, the mother of Cairo Jordan, is charged with murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death and obstruction of justice in the young boy's death.
Washington County Judge Larry Medlock ruled Tuesday the public defender will remain on the case for the time being, despite Anderson filing handwritten court documents last week claiming that the court-appointed attorney, Alex Ooley, is "the grandson of [President] Joe Biden" and notifying him of his termination on April 8.
"Any motions, filings, pleadings on the behalf of the entity Dejaune L. Anderson by Washington County Public Defender Office are null and void," she wrote.
In response, the judge issued a psychiatric evaluation on Anderson, where two Indianapolis doctors will determine whether or not she is competent to stand trial. Those results will assist the court in deciding if Anderson can represent herself during the trial.
Though the public defender is still assigned to the case, the court informed him that he cannot file any motions, requests or other documents unless directed to do so by the defendant or first consults with her. Anderson is also permitted to prepare her own filings for court.
Anderson is being held at a Washington County jail without bond. She will be back in court April 25 for a pre-trial hearing.
Case background
On April 16, 2022, Jeff Meredith was hunting for mushrooms in a wooded area of Washington County, Indiana, when he found a bright, multi-colored “Las Vegas” print suitcase. Inside was the body of 5-year-old Cairo Jordan.
An autopsy report revealed Cairo died from an electrolyte imbalance, likely from complications caused by dehydration.
Two women have been charged in Cairo's death: Dawn Coleman and his mother, Dejaune Anderson.
Coleman was arrested in October of 2023. She took a plea deal last November, pleading guilty to aiding, inducing or causing murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and obstruction of justice.
She will spend 25 years in prison with five years of probation but will receive a year-and-a-half credit for time served. As part of the plea agreement, Coleman will need to testify against Anderson in any criminal case related to the death of Jordan.
According to court documents, Coleman told investigators she walked into a bedroom of the trio's Louisville home and found Anderson on top of Cairo.
The boy was face-down on the mattress and court documents claim Coleman told investigators, "it was already done."
Coleman said she helped Anderson put Cairo's body in a hard-sided suitcase with a Las Vegas label before they drove across the Ohio River into Washington County, Indiana, where Coleman dumped the suitcase in the woods.
In a probable cause affidavit, the lead detective wrote that fingerprint testing of the trash bags found in the suitcase matched Anderson’s.
Anderson was known to frequently post on social media about rituals, magic and "raising her frequency."
In many posts to social media, Anderson wrote about how a 100-year-old demon was living inside her son and how demons were using children as "avatars."
Days before Cairo's body was found, Anderson tried contacting an Indiana priest about doing an exorcism on the young boy.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.