Olathe ? Two children whose parents are accused of killing their 9-year-old brother will be allowed to testify at the trial via closed-circuit television.

Johnson County District Judge John Bennett issued that ruling Wednesday, accepting a psychologist’s contention that the children of Neil and Christy Edgar could suffer long-term trauma or “freeze up” if required to testify in open court with their parents looking on.

The boy and girl, who are both under 13, will testify from another location. The closed-circuit linkup will allow defense attorneys to cross-examine the children.

The Edgars and family baby sitter Chasity Boyd are charged in December’s abuse death of Brian Edgar and with abusing the two children who were the subjects of this week’s hearing.

No more hearings are scheduled before jury selection is to begin Sept. 15. Bennett said he hoped jury selection would be completed and testimony would begin by Sept. 19.

Brian suffocated after he was bound head to toe with duct tape at the family’s Overland Park house, according to previous testimony.

Three other Edgar children were present. The oldest, who was 16, testified at a preliminary hearing and is expected to testify again at the trial in the courtroom.

But a therapist for the younger children told prosecutors that they would be harmed by having to face the Edgars, whose parental rights have since been severed by another judge. The judge retained another psychologist, Jeffrey Montolio, to assess the children, and he agreed.

Boyd’s attorney, Robert Kuchar, argued that the doctor did not address whether the children would be harmed by testifying in front of Boyd.

But Bennett said he found “clear and convincing” evidence that testifying in front of Boyd also would be harmful to the children.