Age-progressed images show Sarah Hoggle at 6-years-old and Jacob Hoggle at 4-years-old (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
ROCKVILLE, Md. - Wednesday marks eight years since then 3-year-old Sarah and 2-year-old Jacob Hoggle were last seen in the care of their mother, Catherine Hoggle, who faces murder charges stemming from their disappearances.
The two children were with Catherine on Sept. 7, 2014 when they vanished. Hoggle was arrested three days later.
Hoggle, who is now 35, was initially charged with misdemeanor offenses.
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Judge not ready to rule in Catherine Hoggle case
Emotions ran high Thursday morning outside a Montgomery County court where a judge was asked to decide once and for all whether Catherine Hoggle, the Maryland mother charged with murder in the 2014 disappearance of her two children, is in fact, incompetent or able to stand trial.
Three years after her arrest, prosecutors secured an indictment charging her with two counts of first-degree murder.
Last month in Montgomery County court, a judge was asked to decide once and for all whether Hoggle is mentally fit to stand trial on those murder charges.
According to FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez, the newly appointed judge, wanting to question the doctors involved and hear from witnesses, said he was not prepared to make a decision based on just a "piece of paper."
Troy Turner, the children's father, and other relatives attended the September hearing wearing T-shirts bearing photos of the missing children.
"We have two kids that we have not seen in almost eight years," he said. "We are hoping to get some justice for them."
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Catherine Hoggle set to appear in court later this week
The Montgomery County mother charged in the murder of her two children back in 2014 has a court hearing this week and some are concerned depending on the judge's ruling, she may eventually be let out without ever facing accountability. FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez has all the details.
"We don't hear about Sarah and Jacob in court. We hear about Catherine Hoggle," said Raelene Turner, the children's aunt said holding up a onesie and a small child's shirt, showing an American flag. "This is about Sarah and Jacob. These are the things that they wore last for their age."
Other county judges have repeatedly found that Hoggle was incompetent to stand trial on the murder charges.
Under state law, authorities have five years – or until December 2022 – to restore Hoggle to competence before the charges must be dismissed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report