OCALA, Fla. — An attempted murder trial was expected to get underway Friday for a 9-year-old boy accused of stabbing his 5-year-old sister — something he said a voice told him to do days earlier.

But hours after the trial began, it was halted after prosecutors said they needed more time to determine the child's competency.

The attack on boy's 5-year-old sister took place last month inside the child's home in Ocala. The sister was stabbed in the neck but survived.

During trial proceedings Friday, the court was expected to learn the results of a mental evaluation.

Last week, the boy entered a not-guilty plea before a Marion County judge, flanked by two aides who covered him to conceal his identity.

After the hearing, the child's mother said her son shows no sign of remorse and needs help. She has not attended any court appearances so far.

In late January, the boy's mother told investigators that she walked into the family's apartment and saw the boy stab his sister in the back of the neck. 

Police said the boy said a voice told him to kill his sister days before the stabbing.

Because the boy is being tried as a juvenile, Spectrum News is not using his name, per our crime guidelines. Also, juveniles cannot be held for more than 21 days, so court proceedings would need to go quickly. And in juvenile cases, a judge presides the hearings, so there won't be a jury trial for the boy.

The boy's new hearing date is set for March 11.