FLORENCE, Ariz — Machelle Hobson, the woman accused of abusing her adopted children and forcing them to act in YouTube videos, was deemed not competent, but restorable.
That means she is currently not fit to stand trial but doctors believe there is a chance she can be.
PREVIOUSLY: Doctor finds Maricopa YouTube mom charged with child abuse incompetent to stand trial, lawyer says
The ruling was made in a court hearing Wednesday morning. Hobson did not appear in court.
Hobson, 48, was charged with dozens of counts of kidnapping and child abuse.
Sometime after Hobson's arrest back in March, sources tell 12 News she suffered a brain injury.
Documents paint a shocking picture of what went on in Hobson's Maricopa home. Officials say her adopted children ranged from 3 to 15 years old. The children told authorities they would be pepper sprayed, beaten, forced to take ice baths and locked in a closet without food, water or access to a restroom for days.
On March 13, Hobson's biological daughter called police after one of her adopted sisters said their mother was abusing them, prompting a welfare check at the home.
Police said during the welfare check, a child wearing only a pull-up was found in an unlocked closet, which has a locking mechanism.
Officers said they found six other children who appeared pale and underweight and had dark rings under their eyes. The children told police they were thirsty and hungry.
While officers were speaking to one of the children, he drank three 16-ounce bottles of water in a 20-minute time frame while describing being pepper sprayed numerous times by his mother Machelle Hobson, according to court documents.
Hobson's sons, Logan and Ryan Hackney, were initially arrested for failing to report the abuse but the charges against them were dropped. Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer told 12 News there is a chance the county will pursue a case against them in the future.