Woman Charged With Neglect In Child's Death To Remain In Jail
FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Charged with neglect in the death of one of her children, Brittney Sierra was back in court Wednesday morning for a hearing on whether she will be released from jail before the birth of her baby.
On Monday, charges against Sierra were reduced and Judge Matthew Destry ordered that she could be released on her own recognizance but must reside with a distant family friend who had agreed to house Sierra until she stood trial.
However that friend, Yolande Georges changed her mind about housing Sierra, after coming to court on Monday and realizing that she had not been told the full story about Sierra—she's nine months pregnant and past her due date. She also said that she learned about the circumstances of her arrest on Monday.
"To my surprise she had a change of heart and when that occurred I told Ms. Sierra she needed to surrender herself," said defense attorney Dohn Williams. "She and her mother got on a bus and came and surrendered yesterday afternoon."
Sierra was taken to Broward Health Medical Center in handcuffs shortly after she surrendered because Williams said she was showing signs of labor. She taken back to the jail Tuesday night.
During Wednesday's hearing, Williams told the judge he thought he had another place for her to stay - with a relative on her father's side of the family. He added that when he was satisfied that it would be a suitable place for her to stay, he would go back to the judge and again ask for her release. Until that time, Sierra will stay in the county jail
Sierra is accused of child neglect in the disappearance and subsequent retrieval of her infant son whose bones were found buried in the backyard of her former Hallandale Beach home.
Sierra has pointed the finger at the baby's father, Calvin Melvin, who remains in jail. Melvin has blamed her for the baby's disappearance.
As for where she will have the baby, Williams said he thinks it will be at Broward Health.
"The baby can be born at any time. After that I'm sure DCF will take custody of the child."
After her baby is born, the infant will be placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Families. Sierra will be allowed supervised visits.
She is expected to be granted some type of visitation with her two other boys.
