Man Ruled Incompetent in Kidnapping and Sex Abuse Case

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A St. Paul man has been ruled incompetent to stand trial on charges that he abducted and sexually assaulted a 7-year-old girl in May.

Ramsey County Judge Gary Bastian accepted the mental competency findings at a hearing for 48-year-old August Ruthaferd on Monday. The judge moved that Ruthaferd, also known as Mark Meihofer, be civilly committed.

Ruthaferd had been charged with kidnapping and first-degree sexual assault.

According to the complaint, the girl was with her father, who was checking on a rental property, when she allegedly was kidnapped by Ruthaferd on May 5.

Prosecutors say Ruthaferd took the girl to a boarding house where he bound her with tape and assaulted her.

The Star Tribune reports supporters for the girl and her family declined to comment after the hearing.