Judge rules woman competent to stand trial in Wichita woman’s death, baby’s kidnapping

Wichita — A judge has ruled that a 35-year-old woman is competent to stand trial in the death of a Wichita woman and the kidnapping of the woman’s newborn child.

A judge on Thursday ordered that 35-year-old Yesenia Sesmas stand trial March 26 on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated interference with parental custody and other counts.

Prosecutors allege Sesmas fatally shot 27-year-old Laura Abarca of Wichita in November 2016 and abducted Abarca’s 6-day-old daughter.

She and the baby were found two days after the abduction in Texas. The child was returned to relatives in Wichita.

The Texas woman allegedly drove from Dallas to Wichita to meet Abarca, whom she met years ago while working at a Wichita restaurant.