A Butler County woman suspected of suffering from Munchausen syndrome by proxy will see two of her children tomorrow, for the first time in nearly eight months.

A Butler County judge ruled yesterday that Mannie Taimuty-Loomis will be allowed supervised visits with Ezra, 7, and Symia, 2, once a week for four hours until the case against her is resolved. She has not seen the children since they were removed from their home last fall by Butler County Children and Youth Services.

The ruling by Judge Thomas Doerr was at the recommendation of juvenile court master Joe Brydon following two days of expert defense testimony that undercuts CYS allegations that Taimuty-Loomis wove an intricate web of fake symptoms designed to fool doctors.

An expert in neurological and genetic diseases testified Tuesday that Ezra has a rare and difficult to diagnose genetic disorder called mitochondrial disease. Mitochondria manufacture energy. Abnormal mitochondria can cause parts of the body to shut down.

Dr. Salvatore DiMauro, director of the clinical research center at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, and an internationally renowned expert in mitochondrial disease, told the court "it is quite clear" that Ezra has the disease.

He said he agreed to conduct muscle biopsy tests on a sample from Ezra at no expense because he was told the case was confusing and perplexing. But, he said, he insisted he not be told which side was making the request so there would be no risk that his conclusion would be colored by bias.

When asked during cross-examination to reconcile his conclusion with that of a neurologist from the Cleveland Clinic who testified for CYS that lab reports showed mitochondrial disease wasn't indicated, DiMauro said he had looked at the case file and noted that the first lab test from Cleveland showed that the disease was present. He said he had no explanation for why Cleveland's second report didn't represent the same.

CYS Solicitor Dan Houlihan told DiMauro the children's medical conditions have improved dramatically since they were removed from their parents care and DiMauro responded: "That does not necessarily negate our data. ... Mitochondria behave in this fashion. Symptoms can be present, then they can disappear or get worse."

Taimuty-Loomis and her husband, Ron, have maintained throughout months of legal proceedings that they've been caught in the middle of conflicting medical opinions about the health of Ezra and Symia.

A third child, Adia, 5, also was removed from the home along with her siblings though she appears to be healthy. The mother has been allowed to see her for two-hour supervised visits once a week since the children were taken in September.

Ron Taimuty-Loomis has been allowed four-hour supervised visits with all three children once a week since then.

A nationally-known psychologist with expertise in medical deception testified for the defense on its opening day Monday that Mannie Taimuty-Loomis does not have Munchausen syndrome by proxy and that the parents appear to be normal in all ways.

He said he gave up his usual $15,000 witness fee and flew to Pittsburgh at his own expense because he is convinced they're innocent of the accusations against them.

The defense case is expected to end today, but Houlihan may present rebuttal witnesses.