Case dismissed against mom accused of killing kid

The case against Donna Prentice, accused of killing her young daughter in Huntington Beach in 1969, was dismissed Monday morning in Santa Ana by Judge Richard King.

The jury in the second trial against Prentice deadlocked 11 to 1 last week in favor of acquitting Prentice for the second-degree murder charge.

Defense attorney Ken Norelli then filed a motion for dismissal.

King said his review of the cold case found there wasn’t enough evidence to continue with a third trial, although he had complimented prosecutor Larry Yellin on his closing argument presentation on legal law.

Yellin will be unable to prosecute the case any further. A lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter will not be an option due to the time elapsed since the alleged crime.

— Candice Baker